Winner Takes All
by Clearheart
Summary: Heartbroken for the last time, Sakura swears off all relationships. But even as she makes this vow her team-mates take notice of her exceptional skill and beauty. It's not long before there's a fierce competition for her heart. Team 7, KakaSaku.
1. Heartbroken

A/N: Because the world needs more Team Seven / KakaSaku fics.

* * *

**Winner Takes All**

_Chapter 1 - Heartbroken _**  
**

* * *

_You once induced me like a drug._

_I gave in to your sedation._

_Then I learned, all this time,_

_You were just slow poison. _

* * *

The sun sank low on the horizon.

The golden disk pressed down against the pale dusk sky and kissed the ground in greeting, like two lovers embracing after a long day of separation. At this fiery touch, bright shades of red and orange burst forth from the blushing ground and captured the clouds in brilliant color. Soft pinks touched off with gentle lavender and bled into a deep rich purple. The colors darkened as they climbed higher and higher into to the sky, until they reached a point where there were no more colors, and only stars glistened in the silky black. The first gleaming hints of night.

Sakura paused in the middle of street, tilting her head upwards to take in the view. Although her green eyes were sharp and alert, the rest of her face appeared strangely neutral. People politely moved around her as they made their way home along the unpaved streets. If it had been earlier in the day she would have been trampled to the ground or rudely shoved aside. But as it were, it was now closing time in the market-place and the thrumming activity of the day had died down to a gentle lull. The busy streets had cleared off and just a few stragglers remained, milling back and forth on their way home.

The buildings on either side of Sakura took on the pale ethereal glow of the sunset. The famously mottled and mismatched buildings of Konoha became uniform in appearance under this soft pink. Even Sakura's hair and bright red vest blended in with background and she became part of the scenery. She was just part of a greater whole. For this one moment of the day all movements came to a grinding halt as the whole world stopped to watch the unfolding drama of the sky. Sakura closed her eyes and breathed in slowly, feeling the muscles around her ribcage stretch pleasantly as she filled her lungs with air. As she released her breath she opened her eyes again, feeling all of her stress melt away. The beauty of the moment far outstripped every tiring problem and distraction of the day.

There was a feeling in the air. A feeling of anticipation. Something great was going to happen tonight.

Sakura observed how the shadow of trees crept along the streets, yawning out with the languid dark; before she shifted away from her stance and stepped off towards the direction of her house. She was on the move again. There would be no more time for standing around. There was still so much to do before the day ended. Sakura could feel the impact of her feet against the ground with each step on the hard earth. It pounded out a steady rhythm in her walk that kept her moving as she moved further and further away down the streets. Her head was tilted up slightly with confidence, and her green eyes were bright and alert, full of determination. There was so much energy in her being that she appeared youthful, and yet she had such a smooth and graceful way of moving that no one would have doubted she was anything but a mature young woman.

One street led down another, and into Konoha's maze-like districts. In a few moments Sakura had made her way through the upper areas of the village. The houses around her became more spaced out and held that air of maintaining more care. Tall trees provided for shady areas between houses. The upper districts were better, but not perfect. Small weeds poked out here and there on the packed ground, and small cracks marked the walls, but Sakura thought it only added to the charm of the neighborhood. Only at the moment, the glow of the sky made the uneven and patched up surfaces of the buildings meld away. It was all smooth richness.

Sakura stopped in front of an especially patched up looking house. Two brass 7's and a crooked 4 marked the address of her home by the door. She stepped up on the concrete step in front of the house and unlocked the door. She edged her feet to the side carefully so she would not knock over the flower pot of yellow weed-like flowers that also shared the step. The door opened with a quiet creak, and Sakura made her way inside. The last of the outer world's pink glow slipped away from her bare shoulders as she entered the dark household.

Home sweet home.

* * *

The first indication that something was wrong did not strike Sakura as something obvious.

She clicked on the lights, hearing the light-bulbs flicker on and off a few times before banishing away the dark. The household was illuminated in an artificial glow; dark shadows cast on the wall from the sparse furniture. Sakura kicked her sandals off by the entryway, humming a soft tune as she made her way to the kitchen.

A glass of water was out on the kitchen counter.

Sasuke must have been by. He often dropped in when Sakura was gone and treated her house as his own, taking full advantage of her home's amenities and close location to the training ground. He would do things such as steal a glass of water or use her shower to wash off blood stains. Mainly the Uchiha only stopped in on days he did not feel like walking across town to his own home for such menial errands. Sakura did not mind particularly, but she only wished that Sasuke would clean up after his messes. For a person who so meticulous when it came to fighting, he was surprisingly uncaring when it came to other aspects about his life. Some days Sakura would walk into her house and discover a discarded shower towel on the floor, or a glass of water out on the counter, or a trek of muddy footprints by the door.

None of the other teammates would have treated her home with such disregard. Even Naruto, in all of his messy behavior, would have paid some respect. In fact, Sakura was certain that Naruto would have scrubbed the place down if she asked, and would have treated the place _like a sanctuary _for all of his infatuation with her. It wasn't so obvious now days, but the poor guy still tried to get her attention. The lingering sentiments of his childhood crush still remained.

Of course, Sakura was no better than Naruto when it came to childhood crushes. The only difference now was that Sasuke actually paid attention to Sakura, too. There was no use thinking of how the others would have treated Sakura's home, though. The only teammate Sakura allowed to cross the threshold of her home was _Sasuke_. True, others could visit, but only Sasuke could stop by which such frequency… or so late at night. Sakura allowed him to keep a fresh change of clothes around for those mornings he needed to leave early for a mission.

They had lived with this arrangement for over a year now. At times, Sakura would bring up the topic of moving into one household for the sake of convenience. This way they would no longer be separated. But whenever Sakura began the conversation Sasuke would suddenly become sullen and reserved. He wasn't willing to abandon his old home in the Uchiha district, and Sakura was too attached to her humble little abode to move elsewhere. Someday, perhaps tonight even, they would solve this issue of location. It was all a matter of who would cave in first. They were both strong-willed individuals, but Sakura was convinced that this was one battle she could win.

Until then, they would just have to do with this make-shift arrangement.

Not that it was necessarily a _bad _thing, but Sakura knew that things could be _better. _Her mouth went dry at the thought. There was a distinct feeling of depression clouded her mind these days whenever she reflected too much on their relationship. The two really hadn't shared a decent conversation in weeks.

Things weren't so bad now, she often convinced herself. Although their schedules during the day often conflicted, they could at least be together at night. When they were together here, at her house, things were absolutely perfect. They would curl up in Sakura's bed after a heated bout of lovemaking, not caring about the mussed up sheets. In the late hours of the night, the moonlight would stream in through bedroom window. Whenever a soft breeze would stir in, Sakura would cuddle up even closer to Sasuke. Perfectly content. Perfectly at peace.

When they got up in the mornings, Sakura would make breakfast, and then they would sit around the table discussing the day. Sometimes they would even walk to the training field together, not caring what the others thought.

Things were _perfect_ here. It was all a matter of convincing Sasuke the same. It was about time Sasuke abandoned his cold, empty home. It was about time they really became together.

She had her own plans for the future, after all. It was all a matter of persuasion.

But persuasion was difficult for two such uncompromising people.

* * *

Sakura could sense the moment Sasuke was on the front step. She could feel his chakra. The door opened with a soft creak and a warm draft blew in as Sasuke filled the household with his presence. The sound of his sandals could be heard down the hall, then there was a brief pause as Sasuke remembered to go back and take them off by the entryway. Sakura often drilled him about this particular habit. There were two loud _thunks_ as he abandoned his footwear, and then silence as he deftly made his way to the kitchen.

He greeted Sakura with a kiss. His cool lips pressed briefly to her cheek and then he took a seat at the small kitchen table. Sakura's heart nearly melted under his brief touch, and she couldn't help the growing glow of pride she felt while watching him observe all of her hard work. Ever since arriving home, Sakura had spent her time preparing dinner for them to share.

Sasuke looked very formal as he sat in the modest kitchen chair. The chair itself was old and made of wood, covered in small scratches and scuff marks. Yet the way Sasuke sat on the chair, it was if it was made of the finest gold. No matter where he sat, or what the occasion, Sakura always thought that Sasuke had an indefinable air of decorum. There was poise in his every movement, and he brought grace and worth to any object simply with his presence. This is how Sakura felt whenever she spent time with Sasuke. It was his presence, and this sort of feeling that was her addiction. _She _felt more worthy whenever Sasuke was around. Not being able to spend time around him had been difficult these past few weeks.

Sasuke's dark eyes roamed over the bowls of rice and steaming soup. Sakura had set up the table for two, with her best glasses and plates and even placed a lone candle in the middle.

"This is nice," he said quietly. Stretching out a hand, he brought a spoonful of the soup to his lips.

Sakura smiled. "This could be yours every night if you wanted."

Sakura took a seat next to Sasuke, ignoring the way he paused and watched her with those dark eyes. A frown tugged the corner of his mouth.

"Sakura, we've already been over this…" he said. There was a note of disapproval in his voice.

"Over what? I'm just saying that we can enjoy meals together."

A silence filled the air as Sakura dismissed the matter. She coyly brought her own spoon of soup up to her lips, gently blowing at the hot liquid. Sasuke watched her for a moment, deciding if there was some sort of double-meaning to Sakura's words. He must have decided not, though, and took another bite of his food.

Sakura cleared her throat. "So, tell me about your day."

"Just the usual things," Sasuke responded, not bothering to look up.

"Like what? Tell me more," Sakura said. She enjoyed hearing Sasuke's low voice, no matter how short or brusque he was about a subject matter.

"Patrols around the village."

"They have been sending you on a lot of patrols lately."

"The Hokage is looking to tighten up security around Konoha."

Sakura took a sip of her drink thoughtfully. "Strange, Tsunade-sama hasn't told me anything about this."

Truly, the Hokage kept Sakura in her best confidence. They had a very close relationship and there was nothing the two didn't discuss on a given day, ranging anywhere from formal village matters to the very personal. In fact, on some days Sakura thought that Tsunade shared a little _too much _information. For example, Sakura did not need to know that Tsunade enjoyed ogling at the eye-candy shinobi that entered her office on the sly. Occasionally, she would give an especially mischievous cackle before calling Sakura over. _Did you see that, Sakura? That's why you need to find a man with a fine ass. _Tsunade's tutelage of Sakura's education extended to many things.

"It's more of a Black-ops situation," Sasuke explained. "The Hokage wishes to keep this on the quiet side. If other shinobi found out that we are trying to increase surveillance around the village, there would be an uproar."

"What on earth… I don't understand. Why would Tsunade want to increase surveillance?"

"Like I said before… it's more of a Black-ops situation."

That was Sasuke's way of saying he didn't want to talk about it anymore. He always had the politest ways of saying shut-up, and Sakura took heed. Sasuke never snapped at her, but he had a moody sort of presence that Sakura sometimes thought was worse than shouting. At this chilly reception Sakura could feel her worth drop a little bit, and she hated the feeling. Yet, she didn't want to say anything that would provoke her lover to anger. Tonight was supposed to be a pleasant time. Another silence filled the kitchen as they finished their meal.

Sakura took away the dirty dishes to wash, turning on the sink and reaching for the soap. She decided that enough time had passed before taking another stab at a conversation. This time she tried tackling the subject from a new angle.

"I have no work tomorrow," she nearly purred. Dish bubbles began to form in the water.

Sasuke made a noise of appreciation. No work meant that they could sleep in, which meant they could stay up late… which inevitably led to something else. Sasuke always warmed up to this topic.

"My patrols don't start until the afternoon."

Sakura smiled, knowing that the night would end with them curled up luxuriously in her bed. She shut off the water and reached for a towel. Sasuke remained seated at the table, leaning forward and resting his chin in his hands.

"Since you have the morning off, maybe we can go somewhere together." Sakura suggested.

"I have some other matters to take care of in the morning." He replied, instantly changing the subject.

This statement forced Sakura to pause. "Wait, does that mean you _can't _stay tonight?"

"I can," Sasuke quickly amended, "I just need to leave early tomorrow."

That was disheartening. Sakura was hoping that they would be able to spend more time together. They had become more distant from each other of late. With Sasuke's patrols and Sakura's new work schedule, it seemed that they barely had time for each other now days. They would only spend time together in the brief hours of the night, and then Sasuke would leave again early in the morning. Sakura found herself waking up to a cold bed more often than she liked. Tonight's meal was really a treat, and perhaps the real first evening they spent together in a while. If only they lived together in the _same_ home, things would be so much smoother.

Sakura opened up the cabinet doors ahead and carefully went about putting away her best dishes. They were the fragile kind, and she had to be careful not to break them.

"What sort of things do you need to take care of in the morning?" Sakura asked. Despite her disappointment, she tried to stay upbeat. She wouldn't let her feelings about their time apart ruin the time they _could_ spend together.

Sasuke regarded her with his dark eyes. He looked so formal sitting in that chair.

"I am dining with the Hyuuga clan tomorrow," Sasuke said in that low, measured voice. "Before that, I must formally speak with, Hyuuga Hiashi, the head of the main house."

Another crushing blow. Whenever Sasuke met up with the head of the Hyuuga clan, they ended up talking for hours on end. Whatever they discussed about, Sakura was not sure, she only knew that Sasuke seemed different after those meetings. For days afterwards, he would only talk about matters that concerned the various clans around Konoha. Sakura found it all dreadfully boring, and worried over the way Sasuke's discussions took on such a formal, business-like tone. Not only that… but whenever Sasuke became too involved with clan matters, Sakura saw her own dreams for their future slipping further away. He took on a completely different mindset whenever he was like this, and it was hard to bring him back down. It hurt, sometimes, to think that Sasuke might choose the clans over herself. When things were like this, it was difficult to capture Sasuke's attention. She could feel the haze of depression clouding her mind.

They were similar in that they were decisive individuals. They were both stubborn and straight-laced, never backing down from a personal view or conviction. United, they could have been unstoppable. But more often than not they found themselves divided, bitterly so, and now it was reaching the point in their relationship where it was time to bend or break.

Sakura traced her fingers along the fragile dish-ware. She needed to tell him the truth. If she didn't do it now, then she never would, and things would carry on this way forever. Like a broken record that looped over and over on the same old song. It wouldn't be easy. Sakura closed the cabinets doors carefully. She let her hands fall and firmly grip the counter. She refused to look at him. Her pink hair drifted down to cover her eyes. Some words were never meant to be said face-to-face.

Her mouth was dry. Her throat felt tight. She hated it whenever situations got too emotional. When situations got too emotional, people ended up crying. Mainly, _she _ended up crying. Tonight was not supposed to end this way.

"Sasuke," she said quietly. "Sometimes I feel like I have to compete to get your attention."

The room was silent. Sasuke did not respond instantly, but Sakura could sense his dark eyes as they pierced into her back. Was she worthy enough for his attention now?

"I don't know what you are talking about." He said finally. The tension in his voice suggested otherwise.

Sakura tightened her grip. The counter was like an anchor for her wavering emotions. Why was this so hard to explain? "I feel like I have to compete with the clans to get your attention. It's not a nice feeling."

Sakura heard the kitchen chair scrape back. The artificial lights scattered dark shadows over the countertop. The shadows flickered and moved as Sasuke approached. She could feel the words bubbling up from deep inside. She was breaking down fast. Sakura felt the desperate need to talk before the tightness in her throat threatened to choke out her remaining words.

Her sentences were broken and almost incoherent. "Sometimes I wonder where our relationship is heading… I always imagined that we might move into this house… grow old together…but if the Uchiha manor is what you really want… If formality… and clans…"

That's when Sakura broke down into a sob. She hated herself for crying as two hot tears trickled down her face. She hated this weak side of herself that often broke down into tears. In her mind, it was only natural that events would end this way. They hadn't spoken properly to each for months, or held a decent conversation for weeks… Distance was inevitable. Things simply weren't the same as when they first began. Deep down, for a while now, Sakura had felt the tugging fear in her heart that something was about to go terribly wrong. That she would make a misstep that would cause the whole fragile relationship to unravel. The sobs wracked through her body. It wasn't the end, but for some reason, but for some reason it felt like she was dying. Sakura could not stop the wretched crying that tore from her throat, or stop the tears.

Sasuke moved behind Sakura, wrapping two arms around her in an embrace. Suddenly he was pressing hot kisses to throat. He offered no reasons or explanations.

"I mean if I have to compete with the clans… it's impossible… I can't win," Sakura said. Her voice trembled as she let herself be embraced.

"Sakura, let's not talk about this anymore," Sasuke said quietly. There was something he wasn't telling her, something she wasn't understanding. His grip was hard and unyielding as he continued to rain kisses down her neck and shoulders, silently begging her to give in.

That night, Sasuke made love to her with a desperation that Sakura had never known. A desperation that she had never felt, or seen before in her lover before. He was forceful and demanding as he plundered her mouth with his tongue, and raided her body of pleasure. They both reigned in the passion, but it wasn't a good feeling. Because there was a feeling of finality that filled every kiss and touch. It was the beginning of the end. Although, Sakura didn't fully understand at the time, she already _knew it_. That night they became swept up in the feelings of sadness and passion. Deep and moving. Sasuke begged her with each touch to move and feel with him, because tomorrow all those feelings would be gone. Fathomless regret.

It broke her heart.

* * *

Sakura stirred softly, feeling the cool breeze on her bare shoulder. Moonlight poured through the window and filled the room with soft shadows.

She rolled over. "Sasuke…"

He was already awake, and watching her with those dark eyes. There was a small leap in her chest from surprise, not expecting him to be awake. Sakura noticed how his spiky raven hair framed his smooth, pale face. That mouth that had kissed hers earlier that night was now turned downward into a frown. It was almost unnerving how watched her, as if he was burning her image into his mind.

"We need to talk," Sasuke murmured. He sat up, pushing the sheets away.

Nothing good ever came from those words.

A cold feeling plummeted down into Sakura's stomach. She stirred, so that she was fully facing him. She knew. It was time to clear away this difference between them. Whatever was stopping them from being fully together. Whatever was preventing them from being the way things were once before. Sakura could feel her heart speed up in anticipation. She was willing to do anything to fix their relationship.

Then Sasuke said the five words that completely destroyed Sakura's heart.

"I'm going to marry Hinata."

_What? _Sakura froze. Waiting. Thinking that perhaps she just heard Sasuke wrong.

Sasuke said some strange things sometimes… and it took Sakura a moment to find the right reaction. But this time around his words made no sense at all. Perhaps it was just a sick joke. Perhaps Sakura had finally gone insane. But as the time stretched on, and Sasuke did not correct himself, the truth made itself evident. The whole world suddenly held still. Like those moments the sun buried itself deep into the horizon and made the whole sky bleed with color. A cold wave slowly washed over Sakura and gripped at her heart. It was like being doused in a bucket of ice water. She could feel an unpleasant chill run up and down her body. She was frozen. Even her thoughts were frozen. Her mind had gone surprisingly quiet.

"What?" she gasped out. Her mouth was so dry. She spoke out into the silence. It was getting hard to breathe.

Sasuke gave a deep sigh. He almost sounded irritated, annoyed, as if he was explaining some terribly simple battle move on the training field.

"I am engaged to Hinata," he said in a flat voice. There was no guilt on his face. No emotion as he explained, as if he already practiced these words a thousand times before. "We have been engaged for a long time. I am going to marry her in two months. Everything is already settled and arranged. I have the blessing of her clan."

Sakura's eyes were wide. Her expression was blank. Despite Sasuke's explanation, only one word filled her mind, and encompassed all of her feelings.

"_What?_" she said again.

"Sakura, stop this…" Sasuke said. He suddenly looked at her with those dark piercing eyes. "You're a smart woman. Try and understand. Think back to the history of the clans—way back to before Konoha was even founded. They say that the Sharingan is nothing more than an evolved form of the Byuukagan, and that the Uchihas are an extension of the Hyuugas… If this is true then an alliance would be the most promising way to ensure that the strongest bloodlines live on."

Sakura shot up from the mattress and stared at Sasuke. Suddenly her brain had sparked back to life, and she could nearly feel the crackle as the synapses worked to full power. Different thoughts flashed through her mind as she processed these events. Her mind began to conceive things at a frightening speed that made her heart jump and her breath shorten. Everything was snapping into place and her body was just beginning to catch up.

Sakura managed to choke out the words. "What about Hinata? How does she feel about this arrangement?"

"I've been courting her for months now, but only within the walls of the Main House."

"Then all of those patrols were really…"

"Yes."

"But," Sakura sputtered. "How does she _feel?_"

"Hinata is the heir of the Main Branch. She understands the duties that formalities that befall the –"

"_I don't care about the formalities!_" she nearly shrieked. Her throat had gone tight again. Her voice was shaking. "Fine. Forget about Hinata. What about… what about _us_?"

"There never was an us," Sasuke replied coldly. "This thing we have now can hardly be called a relationship. We get together and screw each other at night. Do you honestly consider this your highest ambitions for the future?"

So, this was what the end of the world felt like, Sakura thought. The feelings closed in. There was no shaking fear or panic that she once assumed she would feel at the end of the world. Instead, all she could feel was a strange heat running through her system—running through her veins. Like liquid fire, hot and cold all at once. On the outside Sakura appeared strangely calm as she tried to pin-point this feeling, and an eerie stillness filled the air. Sasuke watched her closely with guarded eyes. At that moment, Sakura could almost read his thoughts and sense his surprise at her cool-headed display. Sakura could also see the light pulse of his neck, and see his chest move with every breath. The calm before the storm. Truly, they were more intimate now than any time before when they made love. They were finally being truthful. They were finally seeing each other for the first time.

Sakura watched him with sharp green eyes.

"You're a terrible liar," she whispered. "I know you enjoyed what we had. It _was_ a relationship, until you became obsessed with the clans. We had the potential to become something more. We could have gone all the way, Sasuke. Marriage. A family. _Everything_."

The heat in her body was drawing to a low simmer. Sakura tightened her fingers into the sheets of the bed.

"Don't get caught up in your own delusions," Sasuke's warned. His voice was just as cutting as her own. "We were always incompatible. Anything between us would never have lasted. As for the blood-lines… it had nothing to do with us, Sakura. I had been meeting with Hinata's father, far before we started. I have been working with him, and persuading him to let me marry into the clan, and now… everything is finally arranged. In two months it will all be over."

Sakura exploded. She withdrew her fist, feeling her cool anger switch over to rage. Her knuckles met his face with a satisfying _crunch_. The sheets had fallen away from her body. Sasuke's smooth face was pushed to the side, and Sakura could see the beginnings of a dark mark across his cheek. Hopefully, she managed to damage his nose, as well.

"It's over now, _you idiot!_" She was seething with fury as she drew back her hand again, but this time Sasuke anticipated her attack. He grabbed both of her wrists with a bruising force and held her down. This only served to drive Sakura further into a rage as she tried to bite him, knee him, and push him away.

Sasuke immediately let go and moved away from the bed with a deftness that only be accomplished by a skilled shinobi. Soon, Sakura was only struggling against thin air.

He gave a deep sigh. "I was hoping we could be reasonable about this, but I can see you are only going to act like a crazed-bitch."

"Get out!" Sakura shouted. "Get out of my house!"

But there was no need for Sakura to tell him. Sasuke already had his pants on and was collecting his clothes.

In the next moment he was gone. Like a faint breeze. Sakura could hear the front door close as he left. A gentle click. No slamming.

No more explanations. No goodbyes.

Sakura sobbing now, feeling the hot tears course down her cheeks. Why? Why did every situation have to end with her crying? She sank her face into her pillow, letting the hot tears soak into the fabric of the sheets. The moonlight poured through the window, and as Sakura gasped for breath and felt the tightness in her chest, she was almost certain that she was dying. She was just a warrior on the battle-field, and lost to foe she didn't even know she was fighting. Cut down to the quick. It was as if someone had punched a hole in her chest and ripped out her heart. She was crippled. In pain. And surely dying. Sakura wrapped her arms about her shoulders and released healing chakra for comfort. The room became filled with a faint green glow, and very slowly her tears began to stop as the soothing energy numbed the pain away.

This was the night that Sakura lost her heart.

As she lay there gasping for breath, fighting against the pain, only two words crossed her mind. These were the words that would carry her out for the next few weeks.

_No more._

* * *

_A/N: _Poor Sakura. Perhaps things will look better for her next time? The next chapter is called _Double Vision. _A certain Copy Nin will completely dominate this next chapter.

All reviews will be greatly appreciated. ;)


	2. Double Vision

_A/N: _Haha. I enjoyed reading all of the reviews.

In fact, I took the liberty of putting together the collective responses to Sasuke. According to you guys, Sasuke is: a complete teme, bastard and jack #$%! who thinks he's all that and a bag of cheese puffs. He's a complete jerk that should get his ass kicked by Kakashi.

It all looks pretty accurate to me - at least for this story. You guys are just too perceptive. ;)

* * *

**Winner Takes All**

_Chapter 2 - Double Vision_

* * *

_All you have to do is look at me,_

_And you can see it all._

_I can't stand the truth right now._

_Oh, please, just let me go._

* * *

The next morning arrived without fail.

A faded light streamed through the bedroom window and crept along the floorboards, revealing the jungle of woodwork that made up the floor. It was an interlocking puzzle of stained and unstained wood – covered in marks and scratches, from years of pushing heavy furniture around, in an arrangement that never quite satisfied. Some days, these strange markings would take on mysterious shapes that formed hidden pictures and texts. They told the secret of life, and of the secret things that occurred in this household, and in this room. Sadly, no one could crack the code, and Sakura did not spend her time worrying over scratched floorboards. In fact, she spent little time worrying over the state of her home at all – although she was greatly attached to the humble living space. The bedroom was depressingly bare with no rugs or decorations. Scrape marks were visible just beneath the legs of the dresser in the farthest corner. A tall mirror stood beside it – reflecting the dark hallway and half-open door.

A double bed commanded the center of the room. A box-like shape with wooden, unpainted frames. It was covered in mussed up sheets that held the memories of many nights – both good and bad. A faded light slowly crept along the bed, revealing a young woman with pink hair. An interlocking puzzle of skin, and muscles, and bones. Her pale skin was covered in marks and bruises, and there were tear-stains down her cheeks – from many memories pushed around in an arrangement that did not quite satisfy. Sometimes, these strange markings would take on mysterious shapes that formed hidden pictures and texts. They told of the many secret things that occurred in this girl's life, and of the secret things that occurred in her household, and in her bedroom. Sadly, no one could crack the code, and Sakura did not look too deeply into these things. She was only aware of the dull, throbbing sound that filled her mind.

It was the beating of her heart.

She laid very still and listened to the slow and steady rhythm. Her head was pressed up against the pillow, and her face was covered by strands of pink hair, which served as a curtain from the world. Sakura could hear her heart beat through the thickness of the mattress, and feel it reverberate through her body. It was all the same sound. A loud pulse that filled her mind. Last night she imagined that someone had punched a hole through her chest, and ripped her heart out – but this morning it was all too clear that her heart still remained in her body. Each beat was a painful reminder that she was still alive. It was all a sweet sort of anguish.

This morning she woke up to a cold empty bed, but for once in her life she found this preferable to the alternative. A burning pain shot through Sakura's chest at the thought, and she forced herself to relax. Little by little, the gripping sensation faded away.

It would be time to get up soon. The birds were singing the dawn chorus, and Sakura was never one to sleep-in. Why should she start now? Yet, as Sakura lay there under the under the mussed up sheets, she found that she didn't have the motivation to get up. All of her limbs were heavy, and her mind was covered by a hazy fog. Her thoughts that were snapping so quickly back and forth the night before had become dull and sluggish from sleep. It had been a harsh night full of a lot of tears and crying. With sore eyes and a tight chest… it was a small relief when she finally gave way to exhaustion.

Sakura breathed in a deeply, then released a shuddering sigh as she opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry.

Looking through her hair, the world was tinged in pink. Sakura thought it was ironic, because not long ago she used to see the world through rose-tinted glasses. She tossed her hair back in an almost irritated manner and restored the world back to its natural order. The air hit her face like a cold slap of reality.

The silence stretched on in the empty room.

This was usually about the time she got up and fixed Sasuke breakfast. She would get up, smiling, and then quietly make her way to the kitchen where she would prepare a full, hot meal. Sasuke would eventually join her when all of the preparations were done – looking tired with his sleep-tussled hair. Sakura would admire his gorgeous appearance, and wonder at how they made for a perfect couple. Now this delusion was shattered, and Sakura could see all too clearly how she had been used. She gave Sasuke food and sex, and let him take over the house. He had used her for weeks… for months… _for over a year. _Despite knowing these loathsome facts, Sakura still sadly lacked the motivation to cook without someone to serve. It seemed like a waste when it was just her alone. But there was no use dwelling on these things now. It was time to go… it was time to _move _again. She pushed the sheets back and touched her feet to the ground, shivering from the cold hardwood floor. The bedroom window was open, and the cool morning air had taken over the room. Sakura made her way over and grappled with the window. The glass panel shuddered and halted before sliding back into place. Sometimes, it just took extra encouragement to make things work.

With that battle done, Sakura idly rested her hands on the window ledge. Her green eyes were sharp as she took in the gray expanse outside. Clouds had rolled in over the village sometime during the night, and now the whole sky was covered in a dull silver blanket. Different shades of light and shadow played across the cloudy layers, and the dark ground blended in with the gray sky. There was no sight of the sun today.

Suddenly, Sakura felt a prick of outrage as she looked down at her arms. Five dark fingertips marked each wrist. They were bruises from last night's struggle when Sasuke pinned her down. A remnant of heated anger coursed through her veins as she lightly trailed her hands over the bruises and healed them away. It was somewhat surprising that they didn't heal themselves last night with the outpouring of chakra she used as comfort, but that probably reflected how scattered her state-of-mind was at the time. It took focus and a special sort of mentality in order to heal. Reflecting back, she was completely unfocused last night, which was dangerous practice when handling chakra. Anything that was not used with stern control gave way to careless outpouring. Sakura could still see the green blaze that filled the room last night whenever she closed her eyes. It was a powerful memory. Deep and painful. She felt another clench in her heart.

_No more._

Sakura once thought that Sasuke brought grace and worth to any object by his mere presence. When Sasuke touched Sakura – she turned to pure gold. It was like Midas Touch. She used to feel so worthy around him. She was addicted to this feeling. Needed it. But the price to pay in exchange was too high. Sakura was reminded of how she used to see the world under this rosy tint. She was so deluded for believing even for a moment, that Sasuke had loved her.

They used to be so intimate together, and lay entwined so closely that there was no distance between them. Sasuke used to hold her, stroke her hair, and whisper her name. There was tenderness in every touch and kiss. If this didn't speak of love… then what did? At this point, Sakura no longer knew, and did not have the answer for such questions. Her whole world had been shaken – turned upside down. She used to believe that love ran along very simple lines. She used to believe that only two people who cared and loved each other would naturally give way to the activities that Sasuke and Sakura displayed.

Would Sasuke ever touch Hinata in the same way?

It hurt to think about it. Sasuke may have denied that they ever had a relationship, but for Sakura some things were not so easy to forget. They had something special. They could have gone all the way. Sakura was willing to give everything. Sasuke was a terrible liar.

There it was again. That throb of heated anger, simmering just beneath the surface. It was all _his _fault that events had come to this point. Sakura slowly clenched and then unclenched her fists.

_No more. _Life moved on, and Sakura needed to move with it.

Even as Sakura told herself these things, it was still distressing to see her red, puffy eyes in the mirror, and the dry tear stains marked her face. How did she ever let things go this far? To the point where she would be sobbing and crying over Sasuke's betrayal? For a long time now, Sakura had suspected, and dreadfully feared that their relationship was about to collapse. There was just no way of knowing that it would turn into something like this… but life moved on. Sakura continued with her morning routines. After taking a shower and dressing into some clean clothes she felt marginally better, but not much. She still felt like a crippled warrior as she hobbled about – almost brutish and clumsy with every movement. She was lacking energy.

Although she loathed the thought of eating, her body was demanding food. A lesson that Kakashi instilled into her a long time ago was the importance of eating breakfast. In the old days of Team Seven whenever Sakura arrived on the training field without eating beforehand, Kakashi would immediately send her to get food. Anywhere. From back at home or in the market. It was truly remarkable how accurately he could identify the days she did or did not eat. All it would take was just one glance. Like some sort of strange sixth sense. Kakashi was deeply in tuned with each member of the team. _It's important to nourish your body_, he would often tell her, then send her away.

With this in mind, Sakura walked into the kitchen.

Then immediately walked back out.

Sasuke's presence was all over the room and assaulted her senses. In fact, there were traces of his presence all over the house. She could smell his scent and feel remnants of his chakra, which released a painful waves of memories upon each discovery. Sakura couldn't stand the thought of eating where Sasuke ate, or sitting where Sasuke once sat. She would have to give this place a thorough scrub down when she returned. There would be no more living in this house until Sakura completely purged it of Sasuke's presence. Until then, Sakura would just have to find her food elsewhere.

With that in mind, Sakura opened the front door and carefully edged her way out, so as to not knock over the pot of yellow weed-like flowers that shared the step. It was time to take better care of herself. Time to face the world and move on. She firmly shut the door to the house, locking it. Haruno Sakura was not a person to be fooled twice by love's deceptive guise. Even if she herself no longer understood what made for a loving relationship.

She once had all the passion in the world, and held the most passionate love in the world, but in the end… it all turned out to be fake. It was all fool's gold. Gilded and desperately wrong.

Nothing could ever move her heart so much again.

* * *

It was now warm and muggy outside.

The air was heavy with the scent of rain. Sakura was familiar with the smell – it was damp and musty, and clung to every surface. Just like the humidity that clung to her skin. The clouds stretched overhead far into the horizon and covered the earth. Silver and gray, and every shade of light and dark in between. The illustrious sky touched down with the darkened ground, and only the stretch of buildings and houses broke the monotony of the horizon. The sky was dark and oppressive, yet with each breeze it held the promise of an incoming storm. There would be a downpour tonight.

Sakura delighted in the thought of thunder storms and cleansing rain, but dreaded the long stretch of oppressive humidity and silence beforehand. It was only the stillness of the air that drove her mad. Sakura was a woman of _action_. Tonight she hoped that there would be a huge downpour of rain to wash out the unpaved streets, loud thunder to block out any other noise, and then lightning to light up the dark. Anything that would keep her distracted from the silence of her own home.

A small whisper of wind caressed her ears. Just a stir in the still air that held the promise of something more.

Without the ethereal glow of the sunset, the village took on its true appearance – shoddy, mismatched, patched up, and worn. This particular morning, the world was gray and it was easy to see the weeds that poked out here and there, and the cracks that marred the buildings. It was not the most aesthetically pleasing – but it was reality. Which was something Sakura could appreciate.

There was nothing in heaven or earth that could convince her to go near the Hyuuga district area, or the Uchiha district area today. In fact, there were certain people that she wanted to avoid all together. Which left a depressingly small amount of village left to walk around and explore. But Sakura was a determined individual, and she wouldn't let little details like that get in her way. Besides, she _desperately _needed a distraction. Anything to occupy her mind from the haze of depressing thoughts that threatened to take over.

It was decided. Sakura would go across the village, even if it meant taking the long way in order to avoid certain households.

It would take extra effort, but Sakura's didn't mind. Her heart simply could not take another hit at the moment. After the emotional upheaval of last night, Sakura was in a fragile state-of-mind. Seeing Sasuke walking out in the streets would undoubtedly cause a melt-down. Not a melt-down that would result in a lot of tears and crying, but rather, a melt-down that would result in Sakura exploding in anger and _killing _thebastard. Just thinking about him now made her jaws clench and her fists tighten. A cool sort of emotion covered up the pain and had slowly hardened her heart.

Never again would she make herself so vulnerable. Nothing could persuade her otherwise.

It was so strange. All Sakura needed was an objective and then she could cling to it with undying resolve. Taking the long way around the village just to avoid a few people may have sounded ridiculous, but to Sakura it made perfect sense. Others might have seen it as stubbornness, but Sakura saw it as determination. She was clinging on to her last bit of worth. With each steady step on the dirt road she saw her world open up to a new place. One twisting street led to another. Unfamiliar houses lined the unpaved roads, as well as buildings and vendors Sakura had never seen before. She often took the rooftops as a way to travel, and rarely explored the streets below. It was exciting and thrilling to see this whole new underworld that thrived just beneath her feet.

Shops and buildings filled her view. A broad sign over Miyako's Pawn shop beckoned travelers to enter through the open doors of the darkened building. Broad windows gave way to a bakery – each delectable pastry on display on top of tiered stands. The delicious smell wafted through the warm air, mixed in with the food of other vendors. A weapons shop, and a book store. Plants and other creeping vines had taken over the walls, twisting and cascading into wondrous displays. The murmur of voices and various chakra signatures buzzed through her mind. Then, quite suddenly…

A familiar presence brushed over the edge of her awareness.

Sakura halted, feeling her hardened shell crack. She turned around, just managing to catch a glimpse of a bright orange book and silver hair as he passed by.

"Kakashi-sensei…!" she called out. He didn't hear her… or he was just ignoring her. For some reason, this irked Sakura. She stretched out a hand and just managed to snatch his sleeve with slender fingers, giving a small tug. The action jerked him back.

"Sakura…" There was a note of surprise in his voice as he stopped mid-stride. The world came to jarring halt – pausing for a brief moment as these two met. Sakura was keenly aware of the hard earth beneath her feet, and the small stir of dust that arose from passerby's as they went around them. The murmur of other voices faded away into the background, and Sakura took notice of the gray sky moving behind Kakashi's face. It was silver and gray, and every shade of light and dark.

For a moment they said nothing and simply regarded each other. Kakashi had that same easy grace upon him that Sakura always found so comforting. The jounin always seemed completely at ease, at every moment of everyday. As if the only thing he did was stroll up and down the streets of Konoha, book in hand, and without a care in the world. But none of this was true, Sakura knew, because Kakashi had actually been on several high-ranked missions over the past few weeks. Sakura knew, because Tsunade told her everything in great detail during one of their long educational – gossipy – chats. _I swear, Sakura, that man has nine lives._ Tsunade said, as she haphazardly shuffled some papers in the wrong order. _It's a good thing, too, or else we would be down one fine shinobi male specimen. That man has a great ass._

Sakura liked to block that last comment out of her memory.

Sakura let go of his sleeve and took advantage of the moment to examine Kakashi with her sharp green eyes. It had been weeks since she had last seen him. She carefully scanned over for any injuries she might have missed, but there was no need to worry, because it would appear that her former teacher had made it through the missions unscathed. She took in the dull, unmarked metal guards on the back of his fingerless gloves; the fresh dark blue uniform; and the sturdy, un-punctured dark green vest. There were no bandages, bruises, or scratches on any parts of his exposed skin. Sakura started with his sandals and slowly made her way up, running her eyes over the dark mask, slanted head-band, and messy silver hair – finally resting on his one dark eye. He just stood there, idly, regarding her, too. At this sudden eye-contact a strange feeling of awareness went through Sakura's system.

Which Sakura found oddly appealing. Her emotions had taken a major hit lately, and she needed something to puff up her self-esteem. She needed someone to compliment her, to make her feel _worthy_. Who better to give approval than her former team-leader?

Kakashi simply watched her with his one dark eye. For a moment, Sakura thought she saw a flicker of emotion cross his face, but was impossible to read with the mask. Sakura often needed to use body language and other verbal clues to discern his expressions, but at the moment he was being silent, and Sakura waited in anticipation for his words. A small flutter of nervousness started up in her belly as she waited for his passing judgment. Hopefully, some kind words would be involved.

"You haven't been eating, again," he said bluntly.

Well… that wasn't very nice. It was at this moment that Sakura realized that fishing compliments out of this man was like squeezing blood from a stone. But Sakura was still willing to try.

"I—" Sakura began.

Kakashi sighed.

"Your body needs nourishment," he said flatly. "If you don't eat then you lose strength, and your body won't function properly. You'll lose brain-cells, and trust me, you don't have much to lose."

Well… that wasn't very nice, either! Was he really going to lecture her? Kakashi's words were doing nothing for Sakura's self-esteem. In fact, it was only beginning to _piss her off_.

"Look, I – " Sakura tried again.

"I already told you that there's no need to starve yourself. You know all of those pictures in the magazines are fake, right?"

What was he implying? That she was some sort of idiot? A tick was developing just above her brow.

"Someday, you're going to lose strength and collapse somewhere," Kakashi continued. "Now, I'm not one to boast, but when that day comes I'll walk by your miserable body and say… I told you so."

Well, those were some of the rudest words Sakura had heard in a long while, sans the tirade the Uchiha gave her last night. Was one small kindness too much to ask for? How about a greeting or a friendly hello?

"Of course, I would take you to the hospital, too..." he added, as if that would make ammend for his words.

Sakura clenched her fists and felt the muscles in her jaws tighten. The heated thrum of anger was swelling in her chest. It was just like the night before. If Kakashi continued to make any more sniping remarks, then Sakura _knew _there would be an explosion. And, by god, she would welcome it. Suddenly, there seemed to be no thought more satisfying than making Kakashi eat his words. By force, if necessary.

"I see that someone is being a critical jack-ass, today." Sakura snapped.

At that moment, Kakashi lifted up a hand and lightly tapped Sakura on the head with the spine of his orange book. Sakura looked up, taken by surprise by Kakashi's amused look. With that one touch… all of her anger dispelled. His low laughter filled her ears like a cool breeze on a heated day. Just seeing the amusement on his face… Sakura's body slowly began to relax again. The heated anger washed out of her system. As if cleansed away by this easy-going attitude. Sakura unclenched her fists, suddenly feeling a little silly.

Kakashi was looking down at her, smiling pleasantly.

"Good morning, Sakura." He said.

Sakura looked up, suddenly entranced as Kakashi gave her one his warmest expressions. Even with his mask on, the friendliness in his voice was obvious and everything about his face spoke of pleasure and welcome at seeing her. All of his words before had been gentle taunting. Sakura had his encouragement. Sakura had his approval. That smile… was all that Sakura needed. Immediately, the small positive re-enforcement puffed up her low esteem. Her feeling of self-worth was burgeoning, but not in the same way as when Sasuke touched her to make her feel worthy. This was… different. Sakura suddenly felt a little stronger, and a little more capable of taking on the world then a few moments ago.

Her green eyes softened as she smiled back. Her pink hair swayed in the breeze as she took on a more relaxed stance.

"Good morning, Kakashi-sensei…" Sakura said almost shyly. She couldn't understand this sudden tightness in her throat.

He passed by, then. Kakashi's hand rested Sakura's head as he ruffled her pink hair. Sakura could feel the weight of his hand and the warmth of his palm. A light caress as he lifted his hand away… and then he was gone.

Sakura watched as he walked away. Suddenly, feeling very lonely as he disappeared through the crowd.

Sakura could feel the hard shell around her heart crack away. Just a little bit.

* * *

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck uneasily.

Her bright green eyes and soft smile was now branded into his mind, and would probably now haunt him for the rest of the day. It had been weeks since he had seen Sakura. Yet, just from one glance – it was obvious that something had changed. When Kakashi first caught sight of Sakura he immediately took note of her sullen face and melancholy expression. He was aware of her presence long before Sakura aware of him. That pink hair and familiar chakra was unmistakable from a distance. He kept one eye on her from over the top of his orange book. Her usual smooth and graceful gait had turned into something far more ungainly and choppy, as if every step was weighed down by some heavy inner burden. For other on-lookers it wouldn't be obvious, but for Kakashi's critical eye even the slightest misstep was all too clear.

It was something he had been aware of for a long, long time.

As they approached on the crowded street, the small differences in Sakura's appearance became even more obvious. Her clothes were wrinkled and her complexion was slightly ashen, as if her body no longer contained the energy to keep up a healthy blush. She had over-shot her chakra use again, and was no longer taking close care of her body. When situations like these occurred on missions, Kakashi usually would take Sakura to the side and command her to rest, carefully watching to make sure she had proper food and water to sustain her body's energy output. She wasn't eating again… Kakashi had half a mind to pull her over in the middle of the street and tell her off when he saw something that made his heart stop and his blood go cold.

Tearstains.

A faint residue from her face that marked her cheeks. She had tried to wash them off, but it was impossible to erase all of the trails. If Sakura's red eyes and broken appearance weren't tale-tell enough, then Kakashi's keen senses picked up on the salty chemical that once marked her face. It was at that moment, as he was passed by, that another thought struck Kakashi's quick mind.

_Sasuke_.

Kakashi's chest burned as he felt the near explosion of anger and jealousy that scorched his soul whenever he thought of this conniving Uchiha. Suddenly, Kakashi knew. It was all too obvious about what had just occurred. Sasuke had done something to make Sakura cry. At that moment Kakashi felt a soft glow rise from his chest, a small feeling of hope, but it was only brief. He pushed this soft feeling back, not daring to let this take over. He may have appeared relaxed on the outside, but on the inside he was taught with tension, full of conflicting thoughts that were held down by stern self-control. Sakura stood not too far off now – looking downcast, face strained from the pressure of trying to appear normal. Now would be the time to stop her, to talk to Sakura and offer some comfort. He could take her somewhere to eat, they could sit together, and just be together for a brief while. Oh, how that option sounded so appealing. Yet, there was another part of him that pulled with equal persuasion, the clear objective side that forced him to bend down to the truth. He still wasn't certain what had happened, and there was the need to investigate. The thirst for knowledge. He would first go to the housing districts and scope out the situation. With this new mission in mind he continued to walk forward with quick determined steps.

That's when Sakura called to him and tugged at his sleeve.

How could he deny such pleading eyes? Kakashi stopped moving, and felt the whole world stop with him as he suddenly came face to face with Sakura. She didn't say anything, and Kakashi could feel her bold eyes rake up and down his form. Sakura's intelligent face nearly flushed with normal health as she switched into medic-mode, taking in his every detail. Kakashi stood still under this sudden and thorough examination, using his years of experience and cool-headed thinking on the battle field to hide his wavering emotions. There were so many things he wanted to do at that moment… things that involved Sakura and his sudden _need _to understand what was going on, but it was important that he stayed calm and completely at ease. He let Sakura continue her examination, and stood back idly, regarding her own form. As always, he thought she was completely stunning. There was nothing that this woman could do wrong.

And yet… he couldn't resist letting Sakura have a piece of his mind when it came to taking better care of herself. Perhaps some nourishments would restore the glow to her unhealthy complexion. Of course, there was no way he was going to let her have things easy. Kakashi teased her, watching as she slowly transform from a wilted flower to her usual lively self. For a moment, her eyes brightened and she straightened her stance in a way that said she was just rearing for a fight. She was restored to her usual temperament. It was not until Kakashi saw the murderous intent in her eyes that he decided to bring things to a halt and snap her out her growing rage with a tap on the head. When the murderous haze faded away, Sakura smiled at him with that wonderful smile, green eyes glowing with pleasure.

It would haunt him for the rest of the day.

Kakashi moved away from her quickly, taking time to ruffle her hair before he left. He let his hand touch her silky pink strands in a soft caress, and he beat back the soft feelings from before that threatened to arise again. He avoided looking back and successfully evaded any more delays for his new mission. Suddenly, Kakashi was on the prowl. He was on the hunt for knowledge that required skill and stealth that only the Copy Nin possessed. He perfectly fit, and he could feel the strength that worked through every smooth movement of his body. Book still in hand, he leapt on to the roof tops.

The tops of the buildings became his new ground. The whole world shifted up a level and turned into something that was closer to an open field. Suddenly, there were no more obstacles that appeared when walking in the streets, and only his own skill and agility were the limiting factors to his movements. Kakashi moved swiftly from mottled tiles of one roof top to another, feeling the strength in his legs with each leap. Different colors for different quality of tiles filled his vision. He was vaguely aware of each aged and discolored roof that made up his new ground, comparing the different qualities of each one. Soon, Kakashi was out of the marketplace and was treading on the much finer material that made up the housing districts.

The gray sky was open above him, and a wet drop landed on his face. Another drop, and then another drop fell, turning into a very gentle shower. Kakashi finally came to a halt, landing lightly on one of the taller buildings that overlooked the high-end districts. He crouched down, stuffed his book away, and shielded his eyes from the falling water. In the distance, he could just make out the faint outline of a couple.

But their forms were unmistakable.

Sasuke was carefully ushering Hinata forward, with one hand on the small of her back. His other hand he held up a black umbrella, protecting them from the light drizzle of rain. They made for a young, charming couple as they slowly strolled towards the entrance of the Hyuuga compound. They had their backs turned, and Kakashi could see their faces, but he took note of the careful distance that remained between the two. It may have been their polite characters or some deeper sense of propriety, but there was nothing in their body language to suggest any sort of closeness. All polite and formal, they entered through the tall gate with pristine white walls with black tiles. Soon, they were out of sight.

That was everything Kakashi needed to know.

It would appear that Sasuke had finally made his decision. Kakashi had suspected for a long time now about the Uchiha's compromising position, and his dangerous game of wooing both Sakura and the clans. The Copy Nin was far too keen on the events that surrounded the village – he had his fingers on the very pulse. Small snippets and random information would pass by, and Kakashi would manage to pick up these facts during his long walks in the morning. He would store the information away in his mind and then drag them out later when the time required for such recall. For far too long now, there had been hushed whispers about the Uchiha's ambitions for the Hyuuga heiress. Such rumors were very quiet, and Kakashi only managed to piece the information together after months of waiting… and watching.

For a long time now, he had fought back the hot surge that coursed through his veins whenever he saw Sakura and Sasuke together. He had a suspicion that Sasuke held hidden motives. Anger and jealousy would mix, and a strange urge would build up in this well-tempered jounin that made him want to strike the Uchiha down. He wanted to pull Sakura aside and shake her, and beg her to see the truth. She was being used in the worst way possible by the worst boy possible. But it wasn't in Kakashi's nature to display so much emotion, or be so forward about relationships. He always remained calm and elusive. If Kakashi were ever to tell her, he would look into her green eyes with a cool, steady look as he explained. Yet, Kakashi knew he alone could not make Sakura see the truth about Sasuke. And he had no right to approach her over such personal issues. Sakura had already painted a picture in her mind, and held the image of a perfect Sasuke in her head. Sasuke was the crush of her childhood days long before – virtually making him untouchable. If Kakashi made a move in that direction, then Sakura would have undoubtedly rejected him, and hated him for even suggesting such unbelievable lies. It would be a move in the wrong direction. Kakashi's clever mind struggled and worked around this problem. He considered sullying Sasuke's name to make him inapproachable for the clans, but this option presented its own set of problems. Mainly the fact that Sasuke would continue to stay with Sakura if he no longer had a reason to leave. As Kakashi understood the situation – life was very easy when being catered to by an enamored Sakura.

So, Kakashi continued to wait and watch.

It would have been easier to jump in and interfere had he seen Sakura actually looking miserable. But for the life of him, she only looked happy whenever Kakashi saw her. She was bright, vivid, and full of energy. She simply _thrived _under this relationship. Sakura was caught up in her own little world, trapped by the cunning Uchiha. Yet, for a time – even a small time – she was happy. Perfectly unsuspecting and content. It was strange how some of Sakura's happiest days had become some of Kakashi's worst days. It was strange how her pleasant smiles would twist his heart, like a sharp knife twisting into his chest. At times, Kakashi would pull his own feelings aside and examine his motives, perhaps thinking that his view were not objective. That perhaps, he was painting his own picture of the situation in his mind. He would struggle, fighting off his own inexplicable attraction for Sakura and his need to keep an unbiased view. The days passed by, and he continued to watch for any signs of discontent.

Then one day Kakashi was summoned and sent away for high-ranking missions. He disappeared weeks from the village, fighting for his life, and yet through it all, holding only one concern in his mind. Now on the dawn of his return the whole world had changed. Where Sakura once ignored his presence, she now called out to him, and tugged at his sleeve, and looked at him with pleading green eyes. She looked ashen, hungry, and completely miserable. Sasuke had abandoned her for Hinata. There were tearstains on her cheeks. She had been crying.

Kakashi should have sympathized with Sakura.

Yet the only thing he could feel was a strange mixture of happiness and relief – a small glow on the inside that held the promise of something more. He was _glad _that Sakura finally saw Sasuke's true nature, even if it led to her devastation.

Was it right to feel so much happiness over another person's pain and misery? Especially if it was the one person he wanted to see happy at all costs…?

The possibilities were wide open, and Kakashi was wary of what remained on the other side. He wasn't sure if life was beginning to turn in to his favor, of if he was about to have an even greater battle on his hands. Kakashi stood up, feeling the rain soak through the heavy material of his uniform. His clothes were weighted down and his mask clung uncomfortably to his face. For a moment, he looked off to the direction where he last saw Sakura, thinking, considering… then deciding against it.

There were some things that Kakashi needed to work out himself before he made any moves. He was on shaky ground, and one false step would destroy him.

* * *

_A/N: _Yes, indeed, you better watch out, Kakashi! The next chapter is called _Golden Rays_. I wonder what that could possibly imply?

All reviews are definitely appreciated. ;)


	3. Golden Rays

_A/N: _Hey, sorry for any delays! There's a lot that goes on in this chapter, and I just wanted to make sure that everything was in tip-top shape. Now, without further ado... on with the story!

* * *

**Winner Takes All**

_Chapter 3: Golden Rays

* * *

_

_You are like the sun._

_You blind me._

_And yet you are warm and charming._

_How can I deny you?

* * *

_

Sakura had made many tough decisions before in her life. Tough decisions that involved the success of a mission, or the life of a patient, or that involved her own safety—especially when waking up a disgruntled Tsunade from her desk in the morning—but this time around Sakura found herself especially puzzled and uncertain.

Sakura held the white shirt out at arm's length, treating the piece of clothing as if it were the most toxic of poisons. It was a shirt made out smooth material and fine threading, with the symbol of a red fan emblazoned on the back. In a way, she supposed that it was toxic, especially considering the fact that it had touched _his _skin at one point. How disgusting. _How unfortunate!_ To think that little items like this still remained in her house. Sakura tossed the shirt into the small pile she had collected in the middle of room. So far, the pile contained several shirts, pants, scrolls, old wrappings, and an extra pair of sandals. All of them held the mark of the Uchiha in some way or form. Remnants of his fingerprints and chakra remained all over.

How disgusting.

Thus came Sakura's dilemma. Would it be better to burn these items in a giant flame? Or would it be more satisfying to throw them out to the curve and watch them sink into the mud? Either way, there was no way in hell that _he _would ever get these items back. Just the very thought of seeing Sasuke again brought a feeling of revulsion to her stomach. A faint thrum of anger pulsed through veins, and Sakura was forced to pause and take in a deep breath to calm her spirit. It was getting harder to control her temper of late. She was filled with a strange sort of energy that, unless she was doing something productive, often left her pacing around the room aimlessly—jaws tense and with a strange twitch in her left eye. Ever resourceful, Sakura channeled this restlessness and need for distraction into other activities, such as cleaning her house. Two days had gone by as Sakura worked in this odd sort of frenzy. The place was a mess. She never realized how far she had let the place go—or rather, she never realized how far Sasuke had taken over. Sakura herself was a fairly conscientious person, and found it difficult to consider the fact that she might have also contributed to the bad state of affairs. She spent the past two days sweeping, dusting, washing, and finally gathering and _purging _the house of her former lover's possessions. In truth, Sakura considered this last part to be the real treat and reward to all of her hard work.

Sakura weighed her options carefully. She did not want this last moment to go to waste. Both options had their good sides, but they also had their downsides. If she burned the items then the smell would linger for days and she would have to deal with the messy aftermath. She regretted the thought of soot marring her now spotless home. However, if she simply threw the items out, then they would remain on her front yard until the day of trash pick-up. Three days away… three days too long in Sakura's opinion.

She glanced outside, seeing the bright rays of the sun. The tall trees in the neighborhood that stood between the houses stirred gently in the breeze. The shady leaves moved across the sky like dark fingers, the shadow of each individual leaf danced and flickered in the light and played across the beaten path. Puddles remained on the side of the road from the storm a few nights before, but the ground for the most part had dried out. There was no more mud.

Well, that solved that issue. There would be a nice bonfire in her neighborhood tonight. Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, fighting off the urge to sit down. It was as if all of her energy from before had finally been sapped away and she was winding down to some semblance of normality. She turned towards the pile… just this one last task. She would put everything in the front yard for later and then she could rest. She scooped everything up, fighting the utter feeling of revulsion that threatened to climb up the back of her throat. The thrum of anger was returning with growing intensity. The sooner she got rid of everything, the better.

At this point Sakura was feeling out-of-sorts, and maybe even a tad bit cranky. She opened the front door with a forceful _bang_.

A loud _crash _sounded on the other side of the door.

Sakura let out a soft groan, none too eager to find out what she just hit. She edged her way out of the door, feeling the warm rays of the sun touch her bare shoulders as she looked down.

The flowerpot that shared the front step lay in pieces. The ceramic shards were now scattered on the cement step, and the contents that once were in the pot now covered ground. The yellow weed-like flowers looked absolutely mangled—which actually wasn't much different from when they were in the pot. It was hideous sort of plant that didn't bring much beauty or add to the aesthetics of the house, but it was the only thing that Sakura could convince to grow in her flowerpot. Through the rains or winds this little plant managed to survive it all. It was tough, just like her.

But apparently it was no match for the door.

Well, to be honest, it wasn't much of a loss.

"Sorry," Sakura muttered to the plant, as she kicked everything into a neat pile. She moved to the middle of the yard and carelessly dropped her items from her arms. They were going to be burned anyway, so there was no use of being careful. After completing the task, she circled back to the house, pausing for a moment as she reconsidered the mangled flowers.

Perhaps it was time to visit one of her favorite flower shops.

* * *

The door chime went off overhead.

Sakura was instantly hit by the color and cheerfulness of the shop. The words _Yamanaka's Flower Boutique_ arched over the window in broad letters. The white window paint was worn and chipped from years of exposure. Sunlight poured through the glass, and shadows of the words spelled out across the tiled floor. The strong light gently touched upon the various plants that crowded the front of the boutique, each plant twisted up towards the light, reaching and straining towards the sun. As Sakura stood there, the deep heady fragrance of flowers began to overpower her senses and she tried her best to distinguish each scent to regain a sense of order.

There were bright flowers on all sides. Every part of the shop was put to use, and plants were crammed in every available space on the shelves, racks, tables, and floor. Colorful roses and vivid orchids filled her view. There were lilies and chrysanthemums, tulips and daffodils. Small trees and green vines twisted up into fantastical shapes. A stock of flower pots filled the opposite wall – stacked up high to a level that seemed almost hazardous. There were all shapes and sizes, glazed and unglazed, and made of stone, and clay, and terracotta. Sakura's shifted her attention to the back of the shop.

Behind the counter, cool blue eyes appraised her. Sakura could feel her blonde friend slowly taking in her appearance.

"You look filthy," Ino said finally, in a matter-of-fact way. The blonde girl was leaning forward against the counter and resting her head in her palms. It appeared as if she had been in that position all day. A few paper cranes, folded flowers, and other odd creations made from scrap paper and ribbons surrounded her on the counter—a testament to the day's boredom.

"I've been working," Sakura said simply, unfazed by the statement. It had become Ino's habit to greet her by way of some observation or judgment. These greetings could range anywhere from a simple observation of Sakura's new kunai pouch, or a critical assessment of the way Sakura brushed her hair that day. Sometimes they could be especially harsh, but they were never mean-spirited. Ino merely had keen eyes and a big mouth, and Sakura learned long ago to stop arguing back with every word that ever left Ino's mouth. She would only wear herself down from the battle. Besides, it was Ino's own strange way of looking out for Sakura.

Ino's nose wrinkled in distaste. "Tsunade-sama is making you dig trenches?"

Sakura shook her head. "I was cleaning my house," she corrected.

Sakura moved towards the counter. Her shoes squeaked across the tile floor with every step. A myriad of fragrances brushed past her senses. She plopped down in one of the green vinyl chairs beside the counter. It was the spot she often occupied whenever she visited her blonde friend.

"I don't believe you," Ino said flatly.

Sakura shot her a glare. "What's not to believe? I've been cleaning, _Pig_."

From Ino's higher position on the counter, she was like a queen peering down at her not-so-loyal subject. Her nose wrinkled again in distaste.

"What's really going on?" she asked. Her voice almost sounded bored. "Why are you here?"

"I just wanted to visit one of my best friends."

"_Liar!_" Ino snapped. "You never stop by for friendly visits."

"Okay, fine. I was going to buy a flower for my door-step."

"Liar!" Ino said again. "You don't even _like_ flowers."

Sakura was slightly insulted. Just because all of her flowers died on her didn't mean that she hated them…

Suddenly, Ino's eyes went wide and she lifted her head from her hand. "Oh, god. That's the second time you lied just now. It must be something _really bad_." A small smile flitted across her face and she leaned forward. "Tell me _everything_."

Ino seemed just a little too eager at the prospect of misfortune, Sakura thought. She leaned back for a moment, feeling the hard plastic of the green vinyl chair dig into her back. Her fingers played with the hem of her skirt. Her eyes narrowed slightly and her mouth slanted down into a frown. What was this strange feeling building up from her stomach? This feeling that burned her chest and clawed at her throat? So far, she hadn't told a soul about the incident between herself and Sasuke. She kept all of her emotions bottled up, barely even willing to acknowledge them. Perhaps, it would be good to talk. Perhaps, on some greater sub-conscious level she felt the _need_ to spill her guts and thus made her way to the flower shop. After all, she could honestly see no other reason for visiting the shop, or for putting herself under Ino's close scrutiny.

Ino could see her friend weakening. Leaning forward, she was like a cat ready to pounce.

Sakura sighed. "I broke up with Sasuke," she finally admitted.

Ino made a noise that was somewhere between a gasp and a scream.

"I knew it! I knew there was something wrong!" she said gleefully.

"You don't have to sound so happy about it!" Sakura snapped, suddenly feeling a twinge of irritation.

Ino's gleeful smile turned into a cruel smirk. "He lost interest in screwing you. Does that mean he's up for grabs?"

"You can try, but I think he's only interested in screwing Hinata now."

There was a loud commotion as Ino nearly fell out of her chair. She gripped on to the counter and pulled herself back up.

"What?" she asked.

"Well… maybe he's not screwing her yet, but they're getting married soon."

There was a beat of silence as Ino stared at her wide-eyed. Then she opened her mouth again.

"_What?_"

That was exactly how Sakura reacted when she found out, too. The shock and jolting panic. The feeling that nothing made sense and that her world had been shaken and flipped around. She remembered sitting across from Sasuke on the bed not too long ago, feeling the same confusion. A depressive fog covered her mind at the thought, and suddenly all Sakura could see was the memory of a room filled with the green light of chakra.

Ino must have sensed her friend's sudden change in mood. Even if she may have appeared petty or shallow at times, she _did _have a heart. Especially when it concerned her friends—or one bitter pink-haired rival in particular. She did her best to contain the excitement building through her chest and held down the thousands of questions that threatened to burst forth. She wasn't kidding when she said that Sakura did not visit the flower shop often. Seeing her now in her depressed state—pale, hair disarrayed, and covered in filth—it was clear that Sakura was in need of some encouragement.

"Forget him," Ino said suddenly, in an almost ruthless manner. "You deserve so much better. There are tons of other hot guys out there that—"

"I'm not looking for a guy," Sakura cut in.

Ino stumbled.

"Umm…err… then I'm sure there a plenty of hot _girls_ out there that—"

"No!" Sakura cried. "You don't understand! I'm not giving myself away again."

Ino was not impressed. "Don't be stupid," she said. "There's going to be someone that you like in the future."

"Not me," Sakura said, pointing to her chest. "This heart is guarded."

"Just because you lose out to _one guy_, you never want to date again? That sounds pathetic...and waaay over-the-top."

Sakura nearly fumed in her seat. "I was hoping for some support."

"Ha. The only support you'll get from me is the advice to _move on_. Trust me, Forehead, you can do better. There are guys out there just dying to get their hands on you. In fact, by next week, I bet you'll be with someone new."

Sakura stood up with a snort. "We'll see about that."

Suddenly, she didn't feel like talking. Coming here had been a mistake.

Her shoes squeaked across the tile floor. Her actions clearly said _end of conversation_. Ino let out a soft sigh, drumming her fingers on the counter, clearly annoyed by Sakura's stubbornness, but there was something in her eye that suggested she was far from giving up. There would be many days in the future when Ino would have to chance to wear down her cloistered friend.

"Bye, _Forehead_," Ino said, sounding just a little too sweet. She was already calculating the possibilities.

"See you, _Pig._"

Unaware of her friend's scheming intentions, Sakura pushed on the glass door and walked out. The door chime went off overhead. The warm rays of the sun fell across her shoulders, just beckoning her outside. To Sakura, Ino's happy prediction sounded more like a dark omen. An unpleasant shiver ran down her spine at the prospect and Sakura fought off the feeling of dread that threatened to take over her thoughts.

She never realized that she forgot to buy a flower.

* * *

The subject of men was something that Sakura never shied away from in the past. She would gladly discuss any matter concerning boys and crushes to any person willing to listen. However, there was only one boy in particular that Sakura's conversations would focus around, and though it was not an obsession, it was pretty damn close. Like any girl with a crush, Sakura spent her days dreaming of the perfect future. Her fantasies went along the lines of Sasuke's tender embraces and her soft sighs. They would become elite ninjas, with elite ninja babies, and then they would grow old together and die. They would be well-respected and loved, and their legacy would carry on through the revival of the Uchiha clan. This was Sakura's dream. There was no higher ambition.

Sasuke was right that night when he said those stinging words. Sakura had became so blinded by her fantasies that she could no longer see the truth. Like grasping at smoke and missing the flame. They experienced the most intimate act two individuals could possibly share physically, and yet their minds had always been far apart. Their motives were completely different. It was now that Sakura realized that they had never been equal in the relationship. He always had the upper-hand.

It burned Sakura to just think about it. She was nearly fuming as she stormed down the streets. People shot her strange looks as she passed by, and more than a couple people lunged out of the way. Emotional control was never Sakura's strong point. She always expressed exactly what she felt, and it always showed in her body language and on her face. She supposed that it was nature's way of compensating for her monstrous strength. It served as a warning sign for those nearby to take cover before Sakura went out on a rampage. Which was good for saving innocent bystanders, but severely handicapped Sakura on missions. It was never good when enemies could predict your next move.

_This _was why Sakura needed to guard her heart so closely, because every slip-up and outburst of emotion weakened her as a person and brought harm to others. She felt like it was a form of abuse whenever she lashed out in anger. Heart-breaks and break-ups would only serve to aggravate the problem of her tenuous control. She was not about to pretend that she was over her hurt feelings just to please Ino. If there was anything that Sakura learned in the past few days, it was that she despised other people who were deceptive, or lorded any extra skill or knowledge over any other person. Sakura was a person who was easily put-off by those who considered themselves stronger or better, which unfortunately was very common in her line of work.

Besides the fact that Sakura hated losing control of her emotions, she also hated the process of cleaning up afterwards – both physically and emotionally. Sakura did not want to fall in love, or seek out another crush. She was in no state of mind to start a new relationship. At the moment she only wanted to recover from the last crushing blow. There was a reason why she clung to one boy in her life so resolutely, and no other. She had been so careful to protect her fragile emotions. Yet, in the end, this one relationship with this one person had nearly destroyed her. Could she ever go through something like that again? Could she every make herself so vulnerable?

The answer was a resounding no.

It would be _impossible_ to follow through with Ino's suggestions. Going on dates would no doubt chip away at Sakura's already wounded heart. There was nothing in heaven or earth that could move Sakura from her stance. Once determined, she never turned away from a decision. The only thing that could possible convince Sakura otherwise was perhaps the influence of some greater cosmic power.

A loud shout and clang of metal caught Sakura's attention.

She paused, discovering that she had made her way near the training fields. Just two fields away through wired fence she could see ten bright orange figures darting and bobbing about. Naruto was battling against his shadow clones, and engaging in a fierce battle by the looks of it.

Sakura approached the field and stood by idly, watching as Naruto tried to out-fool himself. She scanned the clearing, looking for the real Naruto, but that effort turned out to be fruitless as Sakura could never tell him apart from his clones. Shouting and more clanging metal filled the air. Clouds of dust stirred around from forceful attacks.

Suddenly all nine clones disappeared in a poof of smoke and Naruto stumbled around – one hand thrown out as he fought for balance.

"Sakura!" he called. Naruto caught a hold of the ground and stopped himself from falling forward. A wide smile spread across his face. "What are you doing here?"

For a moment, Sakura admired his fox-like grin. The sun glinted off of his golden hair and his smile gleamed with force of his emotions – the force of his happiness. It there was anyone in the world Sakura could rely on for a smile… it was Naruto. Apparently, he hadn't noticed her own stormy mood yet.

"I could see you from a distance," Sakura offered vaguely.

Naruto seemed thrilled by the fact that Sakura would notice him on the training field. And approach him, too!

"Want to train?" he asked eagerly.

Sakura cracked her knuckles.

"Sure," she said. Her stance was tense and green eyes were brimming with emotion. "I could just _kill _something right now."

"Uhh—" Naruto paled, sensing Sakura's pent up rage, and immediately backed away. "Wait a minute!" he said, throwing both hands up and then wiping his forehead. "Whew! Wait a minute…! Don't you feel that heat? I could _really_ use a break right now."

He laughed nervously and wiped the sweat from brow.

"It's okay. You can take a break while I stretch." Sakura offered as she stretched out her arms. She paused, cracked her knuckles, and then bent down to stretch out her legs. The look of determination was clear on her face. Naruto could see that Sakura was eager for battle by the way she rushed through her stretches. Past experience told him that if things continued, Sakura's eagerness would lead to four broken ribs by the end of training – and not necessarily her own.

He gulped audibly.

Of course, Sakura would heal him afterwards, but if possible… he wanted to avoid the process all together. In a rare moment, Naruto was suddenly struck by a brilliant idea. He would later attribute this to the fact that he had reasons to be highly motivated.

"Oh, wait… I know!" Naruto shouted. "I know! We can meditate instead!"

Sakura paused in mid-stretch – her body bent down in a jack-knife form as she leaned down to reach behind her left ankle.

"Yeah…!" Naruto finished. "Some meditation would be really good right now."

"Meditation?" Sakura stood up, now. For some reason she had a hard time imaging Naruto doing such a peaceful and quiet activity. Sakura tilted her head to the head slightly as she considered her energetic team-mate. A warm breeze stirred strands of pink hair across her face.

"Yeah," Naruto grinned. "Old man Jiraiya taught me some mediation techniques. He said it was to keep my emotions in check."

"Ha." Sakura scoffed. "I wouldn't believe anything that old pervert taught you…"

Naruto was taken aback. "Oh, yeah! Well, I don't that Tsunade teaching you any techniques for self-control."

Tsunade not teach her self-control? Was he out of his mind? Sakura spent _years _training under Tsunade's tutelage so that she could gain some control over her healing abilities.

"I have plenty of control!"Sakura snapped, contradicting her own statement. "Just look at my chakra-technique!"

"That's not what I'm talking about." Naruto said bluntly.

"Are you saying that Jiraiya's teachings are better than Tsunade's?"

"I didn't mean that either…"

They never spoke of it before, but the tension was there. Naruto and Sakura both trained under two of the great Sannins. There was no doubt that Jiraiya and Tsunade were both powerful and respectable in their own ways, but the fact remained that they were radically different in their teaching styles. Jiraiya believed in the rougher method of field training and hands-on experience, while Tsunade stayed true to the more traditional methods of learning things by the book. Sakura had been schooled in the many styles and techniques of chakra-usage, and knew many jutsus that were well beyond the scope of material that Naruto ever learned, but the fact remained that Naruto had more experience and usage of the skills taught to him by Jiraiya. In truth, Sakura had never used more than a fifth of the numerous techniques taught to her by Tsunade, and a majority of her skills still remained theoretical. They were like heaven and earth. Sakura may have had the knowledge, but Naruto maintained the experience.

Sakura felt a small prick of irritation. "You think you have better control than me, don't you?"

Naruto's grin fell off his face, and his expression became strangely serious.

"To be honest," he said quietly. "I can't afford to lose control."

There was something very foreboding about his tone. Sakura immediately shut her mouth, feeling her mouth go dry. She could feel the crackle as her thoughts leaped into motion. Of course, Naruto could never lose control. He contained the Nine-tailed Demon fox! If Naruto ever lost his temper… there would be pure chaos and destruction. While it seemed disastrous whenever Sakura exploded… this would be something entirely different. It would be more than just punching a hole in the ground and breaking a few bones. There was a lot more at stake for Naruto—a heavy burden on his shoulders. Sakura often severely underestimated her cheerful team-mate. As she looked as his serious expression now, her breath hitched and she caught sight of something barely beyond her comprehension—a window into the distant past—lonely days full of sorrow and grief. Abandonment and rejection. Sakura didn't fully understand the meaning of these forceful feelings, but it was at that moment that she decided Naruto _deserved _more credit than attributed to him at times. Unlike Sakura, Naruto at least exercised a tremendous amount of self-control over the one thing that he thought mattered in life.

In the next instant, the serious look was gone and Naruto was grinning again. Free and easy as if nothing had occurred at all. He was relieved that Sakura would choose meditation over punching his face and shattering his bones. Sakura on the other hand was completely puzzled. How could he smile so easily after bringing up such a serious topic?

"Alright!" Naruto said. "First we need to sit-down."

He sat on the ground and patted the spot next to him. Sakura complied, feeling the cool damp earth as she sank down into the green grass. Another warm breeze stirred by and Sakura could smell the damp soil and the fragrance of wild-flowers. A lone yellow butterfly fluttered off in the distance. The training fields were especially full of life this time of year.

Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding it for a few moments before letting go. He opened his eyes again and Sakura noticed their dark blue tint. For some reason, they seemed deeper than usual and Sakura was reminded of the ocean. Dark waves that moved beneath a gently rocking boat.

"Okay, Sakura! You try…! Just take a deep breath – pull it down into your stomach."

Sakura obeyed, breathing in the balmy air and feeling her lungs expand with the motion. She pulled it deep down into her stomach, feeling the tug. It was the same way she would take in a breath before focusing her mind for a complex jutsu. She closed her eyes, hearing the rustle of trees in the wind. The distant buzz of cicadas. The sound of croaking frogs somewhere far off, and the rushing sound of the stream. These sounds would break in and out through the intermittent breeze.

Naruto encouraged her on. "Just hold it… hold it… now let go!"

Sakura released her breath, feeling the muscles around her chest relax pleasantly as the air left her mouth with a _whoosh_. She could feel the strain against her body as she expended effort to complete this simple action.

She opened her eyes. Naruto was watching her expectantly. "Well? Do you feel better…?"

Was she supposed to feel better? To be honest, she still felt like killing something. Her shoulders and back felt incredibly tense.

"Uhh—" Sakura said.

"It's fine if you don't! That was just the warm up…!" Naruto reassured. "Old man Jiraiya says warm-ups are important for mental preparation."

He suddenly flopped down into the grass, spreading his arms and legs out spread-eagle. He closed his eyes again. The sun reflected brightly off of Naruto's orange clothes. Sakura could see every crease, wrinkle, and dirt-stain from her spot. She was barely just an arm-length away. The creases and rugged edges of the orange material ran down the planes of his stomach and down the hem-lines of his pants. It was especially patched up around his knees and elbows. Sakura could almost see each individual thread that formed the tattered clothing – worn down from many days of rough training. His chest slowly rose and fell with each measured breath – Sakura could see how he drew each one done to his stomach, and then released them again. The lines of his face had certainly matured, Sakura thought, as she freely looked at his unguarded face. The soft boyish face he once possessed had hardened into something more defined. She noticed how his blonde eye-lashes fanned out, casting small delicate shadows against his cheeks. The sun gleamed off of his head-protector and the black material held back the rest of his golden hair.

Naruto seemed completely at ease as he prepared himself for the next stage of meditation. The green grass seemed to cradle his body in a comfortable way that reminded Sakura of a bed. Another warm breeze went through, stirring the blades. Sakura felt something akin to affection as she watched her team-mate give way to complete abandonment. Did he even realize that she was still around? A long silence had gone by and Sakura thought that perhaps Naruto had fallen asleep. She considered nudging him awake when he opened his mouth to speak.

"Okay…" he said, his lips barely moving with the words. "For this next part you need to completely _relax_. Don't think about your problems. Just forget it all. Try focusing on your surroundings instead."

Sakura settled down against the cool damp earth, feeling the soft grass cushion her back. The rays of the sun was warm against her skin and seemed to soak down into her very bones. She looked up, watching the puffy white clouds roll across the blue sky. After a moment, she folded her hands over her stomach. Her smooth skin contrasted against her bright red color of her clothes, and she could feel the rough zipper of her shirt press against the soft under-parts of her arms. Sakura's hair was spread out around her head like a halo and tangled with the grass. The pink strands lay just atop the springy blades.

"I do this whenever I need to calm down…" Naruto added softly. The sound of his voice just barely drifted past her ears. It was the last thing he said before his voice faded completely away into the background – the echoes became lost in the intricacy of the world around them.

Sakura kept her eyes focused intently on one cloud before it rolled out of her field of vision. She then closed her eyes, listening to the rustling leaves of distant trees, and the closer rustling of grass. The songs of the cicadas and croaking frogs cut in and out with the breeze. The sun was warm, and the grass soft, and there was a strong, comfortable presence beside her. Against this calm flow, her whirling thoughts slowed down to a calming lull. With each breath she surrendered the stress and grief that had clutched at her heart these past few days. The bad feelings left her body with each steady release of her lungs. She gave it all away with complete and utter abandonment. For the first time, in a long time, Sakura gave herself permission to be still.

Sakura let out another breath that sounded more like a choking sob. It quaked and shuddered as it rose up, before disappearing with the breeze. Then she released another breath that was much smoother and calmer, but just as liberating. For some reason there was a strange twinge in the center of her chest.

Unknowingly, another small crack had appeared around the shell of her heart.

She let out another soft sigh.

* * *

Sakura surprised Naruto by letting him take her out for dinner.

"R-really?" Naruto shouted.

Sakura just laughed and gave him one her cocky, reassuring smiles. Her green eyes glowed and her mouth twitched up in such a way that suggested she was feeling much better than she had felt in days. Their deep meditation exercises actually led them to falling asleep in the middle of the training field – and napping for several hours. Which, in truth, Sakura should have expected from the very first moment she laid down in the soft grass and felt the warm rays. When Sakura woke up the sun was low on the horizon, and she had tan-lines marking her skin. Naruto was in such deep sleep that she almost had to kick him to wake him up. It was a perfectly wasted day.

But a completely refreshing one, too.

Sakura stood in her usual, relaxed stance. All tenseness from before was gone. "As long as it's not ramen," she told him.

Surprisingly, Naruto was eager to comply. Although he often asked, Sakura never accepted his offers for dinner. First, he had spent the whole day with Sakura, and now this… perhaps fortune was beginning to take a better turn. Maybe she would even see how fantastic _he _was and abandon that bastard Sasuke. Just the very thought made him smile. It was all like a dream! Wait a minute… he wasn't still sleeping, was he? Naruto pinched his arm just to make sure, and Sakura just gave him a strange look.

"Hehehe. Maybe you'll abandon that bastard Sasuke," Naruto said, voicing thoughts.

"I already did," Sakura said.

Naruto gaped at her for a moment before shutting his mouth. Discreetly as possible, he let Sakura walk ahead before doing a small victory dance, pumping his fist in the air and grinning broadly.

"Hey, hey!" Naruto said, catching back up. "Do you want to go on a date?"

Sakura's face remained impassive.

"Too fast, Naruto…" Sakura muttered, slightly irked by his lack of tact.

"What?" he asked, not hearing what she said. He leaned in closer.

"Never mind, let's just start with a dinner first," Sakura said, for some reason she refused to look at him in the face.

Well, at least it was a start, Naruto thought happily.

They ended up going to a tea-house downtown and sitting outside on the terrace as they waited for their meal. The delicious fumes wafted out and teased their already grumbling stomachs. Sakura sat delicately at the edge of her seat with her legs crossed and Naruto slouched down against the wooden table. The terrace was high up and they could see the rooftops of the village and the gently turning colors of the sky. Directly across their view were the terraces from rivaling restaurants. Sakura could see each one clearly, whereas Naruto – who was directly opposite of Sakura – had his back turned. Besides the dull outer walls of the tea-house, the only thing he could focus on was Sakura herself. Which wasn't a bad thing at all, in his opinion.

Things were going very well, Naruto decided. When their food arrived they both immediately dug-in, tantalized too long by the delicious smells that wafted over from other the tables. Naruto was very generous and bought _two _plates of tempura instead of just one. He even ordered tea for the both of them instead of water, and then a side of dango for dessert. They were both smiling and chatting happily away over the great food when Sakura suddenly brought a cup of tea to her lips and froze.

Her green eyes went wide and Naruto paused from shoving a huge piece fried dough into his mouth. He suddenly felt a flush of embarrassment. He didn't do anything disgusting or spill anything on himself, did he…? Naruto quickly scanned down his clothes, seeing nothing more than the usual crumbs on his lap.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

But Sakura didn't respond. Instead, she stood up, moving so quickly that she nearly knocked the chair over.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but I have to go…" she quickly. There was a look of panic on her face.

"W-what? Why?"

"I, uhh…" she cast her eyes about everywhere but him. "I… I left my stove on!"

Then without further explanation she ran off. Naruto watched, mesmerized, as Sakura disappeared into the darkness of tea-house and then to the streets. Well… he supposed that forgetting to shut off the oven was a pretty important thing. Thus, it was acceptable that she ran off… from their dinner. He slouched down into his seat looking at the abandoned chair across from him. Most of the food was still untouched. Naruto grumbled for a moment before perking back up. Well, there was no use wasting the food… he picked the food off of Sakura's plate and placed it on his own. Women were such fickle creatures.

* * *

She dropped her spoon with a clatter.

"Hinata… is everything all right?" Sasuke asked. His dark eyes seemed to pierce through to her soul.

The Hyuuga heiress picked her spoon back up lightly, flushing with embarrassment.

"Everything is fine…" she reassured quietly, refusing to look up. She studied the decorative gold threading on her sleeves instead.

After a moment, Sasuke returned to his meal, brushing off the incident as nothing more than another sign of nervousness on Hinata's part. She was an extremely self-conscious person prone to dropping things and tripping on her own feet. Sasuke was not sure if this was attributed to her meek and timid spirit, or if it had something to do with his presence specifically. It was difficult to tell as Sasuke rarely saw Hinata with anyone else during his courtly visits. One thing was for certain, she at least wasn't loud or clingy as his last lover had been. Sasuke saw this as a very positive quality for his future bride.

Hinata brought a cup of tea to her lips with trembling hands. She took a long sip before placing the cup back down. She decided to stop picking at her meal and folded her hands politely into her lap. Her long dark hair fell past her shoulders framed her soft, curvy body. Her pearly eyes gazed off into the distance at something Sasuke could not see. Without visible pupils, it was hard to read Hinata's thoughts or gauge her moods. Especially, when she remained so quiet.

Hinata took in several deep breaths, relieved that Sasuke suspected nothing out of the norm. With clear eyes, she gazed at the terrace directly across the street. She could recognize that orange jump-suit and golden hair anywhere. She spent the better part of her youth watching him from the shadows after all, hadn't she? Even from this distance she could tell that, without a doubt, it was the boy of her dreams. The golden ray that broke through her dreamy world.

It was _Naruto_.

Ah… but he was with Sakura again. Hinata tightened the hands in her lap, somehow wishing that she could switch places with the pink-haired girl. _Just for once in her life. _But even if by some strange miracle this were to occur, Hinata was certain that she would only blush and stutter before her childhood crush instead of saying anything remotely understandable. Instead of seeing her as a mature, young woman, Naruto would only see her as the strange girl that often trailed after him in the earlier days of their youth.

She sighed miserably. Was this some sort of curse? Some sort of punishment? What had she ever done in life to bring on such misery?

Just then, Sakura looked up. Their eyes made direct contact. The pink-haired girl jumped up and stumbled back in shock. Hinata could see Naruto talking, but Sakura was already backing away. Then the next moment… she was gone.

How strange.

Hinata watched as Naruto stayed behind. She spent the rest of the time watching him eat, feeling oddly comforted by this old habit.

"Hinata… are you ready to leave?" Sasuke asked. It was nearly nightfall.

"Yes…" she said. When in truth, she only wanted to stay behind.

Sasuke placed a hand protectively on Hinata's lower back as he led her out of the tea-house. His touch was light and respectful, but somehow Hinata still felt it was wrong. It was a strange feeling that she could not articulate into words, and though Hinata never felt anger, she did feel great frustration.

Sometimes those who held the most power, were the least empowered of all.

* * *

_A/N: _Oh, dear. It would appear that there is more to the Hyuuga heiress than meets the eye. The next chapter is called... Awkward Glance! Just as a hint, it involves a new character, and some old characters. Have I made things too easy for you...?

Reviews are always appreciated! ;)


	4. Awkward Glance

_A/N: _Thank you for all of the kind and wonderful reviews! You guys really are just too fantastic. *bows deeply*

**

* * *

**

Winner Takes All

_Chapter Four : Awkward Glance_

_

* * *

_

I could never see my reflection,

_Mirrors are such tricky things._

_But then you painted me a portrait,_

_And now, for the first time, I can see._

_

* * *

_

"Hatake Kakashi, reporting for duty."

"Good morning, Hatake-san."

Shizune flashed him a smile before bustling off at a quick pace, not bothering to stop. Her hips swayed and bobbed beneath the sash of her black robes and her heels clacked noisily down the hallway. She held a pile of files and papers in her arms. The day had just begun, but by the look of things, the Hokage's office was already in full-swing.

"You can enter her office at any time," Shizune said, calling back.

Kakashi nodded and waved a lazy hand in acknowledgment.

"Thank you," Kakashi replied. The jounin gave a quiet yawn and rubbed the back of his neck, regretting the fact that he was up early during the week he was promised off. Head-quarters always had the most selective memory. Yet, there was no use complaining. It was not like this was the first time this had ever happened, anyway. Kakashi had already accepted the strange turn of events with easy grace, and was ready to mooch off towards the Hokage's office when Shizune stopped him, remembering something important.

"Oh, and Hatake-san…" Shizune said. She came to a sudden halt at the end of the hall. A few papers fluttered dangerously back and forth before settling in her arms.

"Yes?"

Shizune turned around to face him, a mischievous smile playing across her lips. "She fell asleep at her desk last night. You'll have to wake her up."

She flashed him another grin.

Kakashi suddenly went stiff. "Wait a minute…"

But it was too late, Shizune already made her get-away by turning the corner. She was gone. A trail of paper was the only sign that she had stood at the end of the hall just moments before. The papers rustled and fluttered down like confetti, and the bright hallway lights reflected off of their blank faces before they settled down on the ground. They seemed to be mocking him. _Congratulations, moron! You just won the grand prize…!! _Another soft rustle, and then silence.

A chill ran down Kakashi's spine as he realized he had just been hoodwinked.

He gave a soft groan, running both hands over his face. He could feel the rough material of his gloves brush against the exposed parts of his skin and then tug at the stretchy material of his mask. No wonder Shizune was in such a hurry to get away. She had probably waited all morning for an unsuspecting victim to come by so she could spare herself the deadly task of waking up Tsunade. Sneaky, clever woman… Kakashi pulled a small slip of paper out of his pocket, examining the signature at the bottom of the summons. He turned the paper around a few times before holding it up to the light. Kakashi actually received the message several hours ago, but that was well before dawn, and there was nothing stating that it was an emergency so he put the message off to the side and caught a few extra hours of sleep. Now he was beginning to sorely regret that decision. Losing a few hours of sleep would be nothing compared to this. Perhaps, if he arrived at the time he was summoned, then the Hokage would still be awake.

This was the consequence of being so late all the time.

He examined the summons closely. It was definitely Tsunade's hand-writing… and not Shiuzune's. Which meant there was a legitimate reason for him being called to headquarters - reasons other than the task of waking up the Hokage. Kakashi sighed and tucked the slip of paper away. Braver men had failed at what he was about to attempt. Kakashi had heard stories, but he himself had never been forced into such a compromising position. He just hoped that he would still be able to crawl out of the office alive, and maintain his ability to walk for the moon-viewing festival next month. Although, he was not a big fan of festivals… he found himself looking forward to this one in particular. Sakura always dressed up and wore the prettiest smile for Konoha's number one biggest celebration. Why anyone would be so excited over such a regular occurrence as the moon, Kakashi had no idea. Kakashi only remembered how her green eyes glowed underneath the light of the full moon during last year's festival.

Kakashi remembered, because Sakura was looking directly up at him at that moment, smiling her pretty smile. It was the first time Kakashi became conscious of his feelings for this young pink-haired kunoichi – this girl who was once his student just years before. The bright colors of the fireworks flashed off of her white robes, dancing around the red printed flowers on her gown, in the same way his thoughts of realization danced around his mind. All time seemed to stop in that one moment. His heart constricted tightly in his chest and he nearly stopped breathing at the look of happiness on her face. He was completely stunned by this new and powerful feeling. Kakashi was taken by surprise – never stood a chance – and the feeling completely over-powered him. He excused himself and hid the rest of the night as he grappled with this new understanding.

Strange that he should think of that now.

Kakashi shook his head, violently forcing away the memory. The soft feelings slowly faded away until they just brushed on the edge of his awareness, like soft fingers that tugged at his heart. An awareness that dwelled deep inside, never letting Kakashi forget of its presence. Always there, but never demanding, and never fully fading away. No matter how hard Kakashi tried, he could never shake away this strange feeling. It had claimed his heart and soul, haunting his thoughts night and day. He could not tell of the countless hours he had spent trying to free himself from this gentle captor. As he had discovered many times before, it was a futile battle. There was no use being bothered by it now. Besides, he had more immediate problems at hand.

_No use waiting around.._.

He rapped his knuckles against the door to the Hokage's office softly, then a little louder once there was no response.

"Hokage-sama?" he called.

Silence. Complete silence. Kakashi pressed his ear against the door, listening for any signs of life. Not even a snore. Either the Hokage was in a very deep state of sleep, or she was no longer in the office. Kakashi hoped for the latter option.

No such luck, Kakashi discovered, as he pushed open the heavy door.

Tsunade had fallen forward, planted face-first into the desk. A few papers were scattered over the mahogany surface, her head was tilted slightly to the side. From what Kakashi could see there was a small dribble of drool running down her chin. Against the three wide bay windows behind the desk that overlooked the village Tsunade's form made a dark silhouette. There was a pale thread of light in the distance where the ground met the sky, and the plush green carpet of the office was gradually became lighter with each passing moment. Kakashi quietly crept across the carpet up to the desk. What was the technique that Sakura used to wake up her master? Kakashi raked his brain, trying to remember this crucial piece of information, but the only thing he could remember was Sakura's face and the way she tilted her head and laughed as she told him the secret method.

"Hokage-sama?" he tried again. He gently reached out a hand and shook her shoulders. The blonde woman gave a snort, but did not stir.

Then he remembered. Lifting a hand, he flicked Tsunade's nose.

The blonde woman suddenly shot up, scattering paper form the force of her movements. Her blonde hair was disheveled, her eyes were wide and blood-shot. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and fixed her robes in a clumsy fashion. As the papers scattered down from the desk Kakashi was once again reminded of confetti.

The woman did not look happy.

_Congratulations, moron!!_

"What?!" she snapped, fixing Kakashi with one of her deadliest glares.

Kakashi only looked back with a steady gaze. The same way he might have when facing a wild animal. "You summoned me," the jounin reminded her as he slowly pulled out the slip of paper. He moved carefully, as if fearing that any sudden movements would result in the loss of his hand.

Tsunade snatched the paper away and stared at it for a moment before tossing it to the side, not caring as it littered the floor.

"Oh, yeah," she grumbled. Then added in an off-handed manner, "There was a disturbance last night."

"A disturbance?"

Tsunade coughed and grabbed the cup of cold tea at the edge of the desk. Knocking her head back, she drained everything down in a single gulp. A grimace crossed her face as she let the empty cup slip away from her hands and drop back on to the desk with a clatter. It fell on its side and rolled into a pile of paper. The drops of liquid it left behind looked suspiciously like the new marks Kakashi had been seeing on his mission reports of late. The blonde woman didn't seem to mind at all.

"Some idiot was making a bonfire in the housing districts. The neighbors were upset by the ruckus and sent in complaints all night long," Tsunade said, rubbing her eyes wearily. "Honestly, you would think people would have enough sense to keep fires _outside_ of the village. Do you remember the Great Fire of '78?"

Kakashi did not remember, as he wasn't even born then.

"Well," Tsunade continued. "It was bad. _Real bad_."

"So, what do you want me to do about it?" Kakashi asked, crossing his arms.

Tsunade pinned him down with another glare. She waved her hand to the window. The outline of houses were faintly visible in the distance. "I want you to go down there and knock some sense into whoever was causing the disturbance. Scope the place out and figure out what was going on, then…" she pounded a fist into the desk, "… make sure it doesn't happen again."

Somehow, Kakashi found himself unmoved by Tsunade's call for justice.

"It could have just been a friendly barbeque," Kakashi offered.

"I don't care. Just make sure it _doesn't happen again._" Tsunade repeated, not budging from her original stance. She could be so cranky in the mornings.

Kakashi was slouching forward now with his one eye drooped down in an unenthusiastic manner. "With all due respect, Hokage-sama, you could have sent a chuunin for something like this..."

The Hokage's response was to grumble incoherently. Kakashi only caught the words _ungrateful brat _and _stupid fire_.

Tsunade pushed the papers around on her desk before finding one of the complaints detailing the location of the bonfire. She handed it to Kakashi. The joinin accepted the paper, knowing that it would be better to give the place a quick look-over and go on his merry way than to cross the Hokage. He offered a lazy, half-hearted salute before leaving, reassuring the Hokage that he would check things out. The next moment… he was gone. Much like the sly assistant that he greeted earlier that day. Tsunade looked on thoughtfully. The sleepy haze clearing away from her mind.

"Nice ass…" she muttered to no one in particular, finally remembering the real reason why she summoned the jounin. Then she yelled out, demanding for Shizune to bring some more goddamn tea.

The Hokage's life definitely had its perks.

* * *

The village was waking up to the dawn. A pale light reached out from the ground in the distance, and rosy fingers stretched up towards the sky. The world was still cast in dark shadows and the village was draped in a heavenly blue. The houses and rooftops were just faint outlines, and the sun was like a dim glow hidden behind the far-off horizon. Buildings and trees still blocked off the light, as if the village was reluctant to begin the day and leave the cool shade of night. Yet, some things could not be denied. Very slowly, the world began to stir and cast off the slumber from the night before, like a person awaking to the day. The inky village became a pale painting – a shadow of the lively world it would soon become.

Sai considered it all in a methodical way, painting every detail in his mind.

Some people thought that painting consisted of _creativity_ and _artistic skill_, but Sai understood that the ability to paint simply required the ability to copy details and put them down on paper. Drawing was nothing more than a systematic way of ordering information. Whenever Sai painted, he merely put down each detail he observed, part by part, until it formed a whole picture. He strived for his paintings to be like a perfect reflection. Like a mirror. There was no creativity involved at all – and yet people still praised him for his skills. They would smile and comment on his work. As Sai understood, this was to be taken as a positive response, and thus a confirmation that his method of painting was correct.

Sai reached down and pulled a hard-cover book with the title _Social Interactions _from his pack. He opened the hard leather covers and flipped through the pages, but found that it was too dark to read. He could barely make out the text on the page, and yet, it didn't seem to really matter as he already knew each and every word. This was the result of studying the book for weeks on end. He had spent many, many days in the library pouring through the texts, striving to understand the hopeless and confusing interactions between people. Sai had this current book on a permanent hold. His name scrawled on the check-out list in the library with _Social Interactions _beside it five times in a row, representing the five separate weeks that he held the book in his possession.

It was very interesting, and much more thorough than some of the other works he had read, but there was one chapter in particular that he found rather confusing. He had all but given up on the work for the night when he stepped out of the library and saw a person who would no doubt would be able to answer all of his questions.

It was the Copy-nin.

Sai watched as Hatake Kakashi strolled down the streets and made his way to the building of the Hokage's office. It was not even the crack of dawn and the jounin was already up and accepting mission-work. Sai was reminded of the quote he read not too long ago stating how great men always woke up early, thus making them strong, healthy, and wise. Sai could not help but feel deeply impressed with Kakashi's actions. If the amount of earliness of proportional to the level of greatness, then the Copy-nin must indeed be a _very_ great man.

It never occurred to Sai that Kakashi might have been so late in this instance that he just _appeared_ early.

Sai followed after him and waited patiently outside the building of the Hokage's office. As he waited, he watched the subtle change in colors as dawn approached, and Sai thought over all of the different questions he would ask the jounin. He snapped the book _Social Interactions _shut and slowly, methodically put it away in his pack. He continued to wait, remembering a quote he once read stating how all great men waited and persevered despite hardships to reach their goals.

His waiting paid off. At what seemed like an hour, the silver-haired jounin appeared once again. He looked ready to jump towards the rooftops when Sai called his attention.

"Excuse me, Kakashi-sama," the boy said politely.

He was not especially loud, but it was enough to catch the elite ninja's attention. The man paused and looked back. His one dark eye seemed intense as he peered through the darkness. Sai took note of the way Kakashi did not tense up but stayed perfectly calm, which was a sign of stern self-control. This sort of calm and lack of expression was exactly what Sai had strived for in the past – and already achieved. Now it was the act of _rediscovering _his emotions that was gave him problems.

Sai gave a stiff bow toward the older man. He noticed the way the jounin immediately leaned back and stuffed both hands into his pocket – perhaps both intrigued and slightly taken-aback by Sai's over-polite gesture. However, Sai did not read it as this way, and recalled in a book he once read how such body language could be taken as aloofness or as way to hide one's true feelings.

"Yes?" Kakashi said. His tone sounded short, almost curt.

But Sai was not to be dissuaded.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions."

Sai pulled out his book of _Social Interactions _and flipped it open to the chapter that was giving him the most trouble. It was still too dark to read, but by simply turning the right page, Sai was able to remember the correct words from the text. After finding the right spot, he closed the book again and put it back into the pack. Kakashi regarded him with that one intense eye, but there was something different in his expression than from before. Sai would later learn that it was a look of recognition – seeing Sai with the book had sparked something in Kakashi's memory.

"You were with Team Seven for a while, weren't you?" the jounin said. "I remember now. I was in the hospital when they pulled Tenzou from black-ops and another from Root. Let's see, you're name is… Sai, correct?"

It was not really a question. It was a statement. Sai could tell by the way Kakashi did not vary his tone or add an inflection to the end of the sentence. Sai nodded, an almost useless motion in the dark.

"Yes, I remember now," Kakashi said. "A former student of mine used to prattle on about you… she said that you really pissed her off."

Sai considered this statement, letting a sufficient pause pass by so it would seem that he open and interested in the man's words before jumping into his question.

"Do you like women?" Sai asked.

The long moment of silence afterwards suggested to Sai that the jounin was either extremely put-off by the question, or was placing a deep amount of thought into the answer. Sai had a suspicion it was the latter, seeing as the jounin was a great man. Perhaps, one of the greatest men in the village. As such , all of his answer would require great thought.

"As much as the next guy," Kakashi said finally.

Sai blinked very slowly – he had no way of knowing that the man opposite of him found this mannerism very unnatural and almost lizard-like.

"How do you pick-up women?" Sai asked. "Your older age, decent looks, and status in life suggests that you would know how to interact with women and say things in such a flattering way that they would believe you. In other words, you are able to 'pick up' women. According to my book _Social Interactions_ this is a crucial first step in the courtship process, but I do not understand the complex interactions that take place. I was wondering if you could explain them to me."

Kakashi's jaw had gone slightly slack. He was staring at Sai with that one eye, and standing perfectly still. The jounin completely shocked by something he had said, or was once again placing great thought into his answer. Either way, Sai had no way of knowing. There was still much studying to be done before he mastered all of the nuances of reading body-language.

In truth, Said had just managed to shake the one of the most unflappable shinobi in Fire Country. Kakashi was never one to be easily surprised or ruffled. The jounin had seen and heard many surprising things while teaching Team Seven. But this… trumped them all. The only thought that ran through Kakashi's mind was that this boy was in need of some serious help. And, by god, he would help him. Kakashi even felt the urge to pull the boy aside, sling an arm around shoulders, and explain the facts of life to him in a way that he never had a chance to explain to Sasuke or Naruto. But he didn't.

It simply wasn't in his nature.

So, instead, Kakashi crossed his arms and brought a hand to his chin as he looked up at the sky thoughtfully. In the darkness, he felt some measure of security and felt free to reflect back on his thoughts. Despite all of Sai's words of truth, Kakshi was actually not a womanizer, nor spent any of his time trying to 'pick up' women. Kakashi was loyal and faithful to the core. As he gazed up at the sky and reflected back, only one face popped up into his mind. He thought a moment longer, considering the different approaches.

"If you want to flatter a woman," Kakashi began, speaking in a low unhurried voice, "talk about her eyes."

"Her eyes?" Said asked. He never read about any of this in any of his books.

The jounin nodded. He appeared very meditative.

"Talk about her smile, too," Kakashi said, "and how pretty she sounds when she laughs."

Sai still had a blank look of uncertainty on his face, but Kakashi was used enough to Naruto's blank looks to not be bothered. He went on, picking up steam as he continued.

"But don't just concentrate on her looks. Compliment her character."

"Character?" Sai asked.

"Yes," Kakashi said. "Character… defining positive attributes that you find attractive. Maybe talk about her strength and courage. Also, compliment parts of her personality."

"By personality you mean loud, quiet, funny, serious, nice, mean, shy, outgoing, lazy, energetic…" Sai began listing off the various words he remembered from chapter three of _Social Interactions. _It didn't take Kakashi long to catch on, and he immediately cut the boy off.

The man sighed and looked back up at the sky. "The most important thing is to let the woman know that you like her. This can be the most difficult part… but a relationship cannot start unless someone takes the first step."

Sai bowed deeply, still not understanding but perhaps a little bit wiser now from after talking with such a great man. "Thank you, Kakashi-sama. I will take your words of wisdom and put them to good use."

The jounin uncrossed his arms then and shoved his hands into his pockets. Sai could feel his gaze as he slowly and methodically began to pack his items away into his pack.

"One last thing…" Kakashi added.

Sai looked up, directly into the Copy-nin's one intense eye.

"Don't tell anyone you heard this from me," the jounin said. Then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Sai blinked slowly, wondering what the older man could possibly mean.

* * *

Kakashi felt an unpleasant shiver go down his spine. Sometimes, he seriously worried for the future of Konoha's next generation.

The jounin made his way through the village effortlessly, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Having light or no light was little consequence for the Kakashi as he knew the village well enough and could make it to his destination without needing to see every step. But as Kakashi made his way to the address printed on the complaint sheet, he could not fight off the sinking feeling that began to settle into his stomach. The increasing light only confirmed his suspicions and the surrounding houses began to take on a familiar appearance.

He _knew _this neighborhood.

He stopped then, in front of a yard of a modest green house. A large charred area commanded the center of the yard, and the acrid smell of smoke filled his nose as he approached the blackened pile. As he crouched down he examined the ashes, finding it strange that there was no fire-wood. Just large pieces of burnt… something. He rubbed a piece of charred cloth between his fingers and let it drop back down into the ashes.

Yes, it would appear that someone had a bonfire, and Kakashi knew of a certain someone who was fond of burning things on missions that she considered trash.

He walked up to the door and knocked casually, noticing the two brass sevens and the crooked four that marked the address of the home. Kakashi could not stand on the small step as it was occupied by soil and broken pieces of pottery, so he stood on the ground instead. He knocked again and waited patiently for a response. After what seemed like several minutes, he heard the faint patter of footsteps from the inside.

The door flew open with a bang.

"What?!" Sakura snapped. Her short pink hair was disheveled and there were dark marks underneath her eyes. She looked around and pinned him with a glare, until her face suddenly lit up with recognition. "K-Kakashi?" she said. There was a hint of incredulity in her voice. Her persona took on a complete change as she registered this surprise, turning from the irritable bruiser who would deck him, to his pleasant former student. She was certainly more spirited than the last time he saw her.

For a moment, he considered the dizzying change of Sakura's personality, and was reminded of Tsunade. _Like master, like student_, he thought as he saw the cranky way Sakura answered the door.

Except, she was _not _like her master. Unbidden, Kakashi's eye trailed up and down Sakura's exposed arms and legs and then focused on her plain shirt and shorts and the soft curves hidden just between the thin layers. These were no doubt her night clothes. She had probably just rolled out of bed, disturbed by his knocking, and answered the door. Her clothes revealed nothing more than what she would usually wear – they were about the same length as her skirt and red zip-up vest – but for some reason Kakashi could not bring himself to look away. He was hopelessly caught up by small, new aspect of Sakura.

"Good morning, Sakura," he said, finding his voice.

It was clearly still too early for her to be considered a _good _morning. Sakura offered him a smile, but there was still a look of doubt and confusion on her face, and a lot of grogginess. Kakashi felt a small twinge in his chest as his heart made a leap – as it did every time her mouth twitched upward. It was really unnerving, the way his heart could recognize the fact that Sakura was smiling. Kakashi did his best not to stare at her lips.

So, he stared at her eyes instead. But this did not help Kakashi in his fight against distraction, because even with that tired look and those dark marks beneath her eyes, Kakashi thought that Sakura still looked beautiful.

Her green eyes were dim with uncertainty. "What's going on?" she asked. She sounded very sleepy.

A few strands of pink hair were blocking her face. Was it so wrong that he just wanted to reach out and brush them away?

Instead, Kakashi coolly reached into his pocket and pulled out the complaint form. He held it out with one hand in a languid manner, fighting back the strange impulses that made him want to do a thousand other different things. This battle was nothing new, and Kakashi was able to maintain his smooth, detached appearance.

"There have been reports of a fire…" Kakashi said coolly.

Sakura's eyes suddenly widened and she seemed to snap to attention.

She crossed her arms. "So, what about it?"

Kakashi harkened back to the old by-laws of Konoha. "According to the village ordinances, fires are to be strictly retained within regulated areas. Housing districts… are not regulated areas."

"So?" Sakura asked.

"Stop building bonfires," Kakashi said bluntly. "It's dangerous."

Sakura gave a derisive snort. "This is ridiculous. They should trust villagers to handle small flames."

Kakashi fixed her with a stern look. "Have you ever heard of the Great Fire of '78?" he asked in a very low, very serious voice.

Sakura's green eyes went wide and she shook her head. She waited, transfixed, for Kakashi's next words. His voice took on the tone of when he gave lectures to Team Seven.

"I haven't either…" Kakashi admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I was hoping that you would know."

It was getting brighter now, and the small cracks and chipped paint of the house became evident in the early morning light. A bird was singing in the distance, trilling off very faint but clear notes. A cool breeze drifted by and Kakashi saw Sakura shiver just a little bit as she tightened the grip around her arms. A small trail of goosebumps was forming along her arms and legs, and Kakashi was certain that if she were to move her arms away from her chest, then… it was best not to linger on that thought.

"Do you like flowers?" he asked suddenly.

"Huh?" It was still too early to follow his thoughts, and her brain was not working at full power yet.

"Your flowerpot here…" he pointed down at the step. "It's all broken. I take it that means you either really hate flowers, or… it broke by accident."

Sakura understood now. "I _don't _hate flowers," she said defensively, then thought for a moment before adding, "and I'm not clumsy."

"So, then, you do like flowers."

"I like them well enough."

Kakashi let out a low laugh and lifted up a hand to touch her head. He meant to rumple her hair, but could not help the way his hand lingered longer then it should have, and turned it to more of a stroke. He let the pink strands slip between his fingers in a gentle caress, enjoying the silky touch. He repeated the gesture again to feel softness of her hair. It wasn't much different from what Kakashi usually did, and he honestly doubted Sakura would be able to tell the difference in her sleep-deprived state.

But he was wrong.

It could have been his paranoia, but he thought that Sakura's green eyes had gone slightly wider. She was staring at him.

Perhaps, he had overstayed his welcome... There was no telling what else he would do if he stayed any longer. He was beginning to act on his body's impulses and half-formed thoughts. The soft suggestions that his mind whispered whenever he was in close proximity of his former student. This was why he had avoided visiting Sakura during certain hours in the past, and there was certainly a reason why he avoided her house. He needed to leave… he had stayed to long… it was time to go now…

"Bye, Sakura," he said smoothly, and raised his hand in a lazy wave. "Remember… no more bonfires."

Sakura was watching his hand, which was suspended in the air. He lowered it, feeling a stab of guilt, and smoothly placed both of his hands in his pockets as he walked away. She was staring at him, even as he turned to leave. Kakashi could feel the prickling sensation along the back of his neck and spine. It was the same sensation he got whenever he knew an enemy-nin was watching. It was a sense that had been finely tuned from years of fighting and experience, and if the strength of the feeling was any indication – then she must have been drilling hole through the back of his head. Kakashi could innately feel as she continued to watch him walk down the yard, and then all the way down the street, and then several blocks down. He imagined her standing in the doorway in her shirt and shorts, hand up against the frame, and looking on with wide green eyes.

But none of this bothered him. The only thing that ran through his mind was the fact she never said 'goodbye' back.

* * *

Sakura watched him walk down the street. Once he was farther away, he pulled out his orange book in one smooth languid motion and kept his head down, transfixed on the words, as he strolled down another block. As always, his expression was indistinct and unreadable. His tall form became smaller in the distance until he turned the corner, and Sakura could no longer see his gleaming silver hair, or dark blue uniform and green vest. Sakura closed the door. The entryway immediately went dark as she shut out the light.

_What was that?_

She went to the bathroom and gazed into the mirror. The shiny tiles were cold beneath her feet. The place was immaculately clean and nearly sparkled under the artificial glow of the bathroom fixtures. Of course, Sakura would not have expected any less since she was the one who gave the place a thorough scrub down just a couple days before. She placed her hands on either side of the sink and leaned in as she inspected her appearance. Her reflection in the mirror made a grimace. Sakura raised a hand to her face and watched as her reflection did the same.

Her hair was a mess. There was sleep in her eyes. Her clothing was all rumpled. This is what Kakashi must have saw when she opened the door. A very untidy and messy-looking girl. Sakura felt a flush of embarrassment and immediately ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to fix her appearance. Perhaps, Kakashi was indicating that she should clean-up by touching her hair. She felt the tangles and the rougher feeling as her hands tugged at the pink locks. It was nothing like when Kakashi placed his hand on her head and smoothly ran his fingers through. His touch was gentle, and Sakura remembered the heat that seemed to radiate from his palm.

He didn't do this just once. _But twice_.

Sakura gazed at herself in a worrying sort of way then splashed cold water into her face to wash away the sleep. She honestly didn't give any thought to fixing her appearance before answering the door. She merely rolled out of bed – mind covered by that hazy fog – and made her way to the entrance of the house. Her heart was beating fast as somewhere in the back of her mind she was still aware of the fact that it was still sometime around the crack of dawn. And _nobody_ came knocking around doors at the crack of dawn unless it was a prank or some sort of emergency. There was no way she could have known it was just her enigmatic ex-sensei. There have been times in the past when the man didn't bother to show up for training, or would be several hours late to show up for a mission, and yet for this morning he managed to show up at her door before the rising sun – only to report something of seeming little importance. It was at times like these that Sakura despaired at ever understanding the mysterious and aloof jounin. Sometimes, she wondered what truly went on in Kakashi's mind and what sort of thought processes pushed him through the day. Sakura wondered if she would ever achieve this level of mysteriousness if she continued to remain aloof to others, too.

Sakura crawled back into bed, pulling the sheets over her head. It was still early – and she was tired and didn't want to think anymore. Sakura closed her eyes, willing for sleep to overtake her once again. She could feel her limbs go heavy and the blissful forgetfulness as her consciousness began to slip away.

Someone else was knocking at her door.

Sakura groaned as the loud bangs filled the house, echoing through the halls. Each knock was like a sledgehammer being driven into her skull. Loud, pounding, and insistent.

She threw the sheets aside and sat up – she was not quite fuming yet, but she was very, very close. A dark, ominous aura surrounded the young woman as she made her way to the entrance of the house. The air became a shade colder and slightly more hushed as she stood in the entryway for the second time that day. With a tense hand, Sakura reached out for the door. A strange twitch was developing near her left eye and Sakura was prepared to greet this unwelcome guest with the most chilly reception she could muster. It was either that or a punch to the face.

But all the coldness in her heart was blasted away the moment she opened the door.

"_Sakura!_" Naruto shouted. The golden-haired boy stood at the bottom of her step. He was dressed in his usual orange garb with all of the thread-worn markings. His blue eyes were wide, his body was taut, and Sakura could feel the waves of energy radiating from his presence.

This was the first time Sakura had ever seen him at her house. It almost seemed unreal and out of place. As if she imagined that her blonde teammate could only exist within the realms of missions and training (and the ramen stand). Just as with her earlier visitor, Sakura found herself at a loss for words and uncertain of what to say.

"Naruto?" she said dumbly.

There was anxiety and worry written all over his face.

"OH-my-god-Sakura!" he began. "I-woke-up-early-this-morning-because-I-couldn't-sleep-and-was-walking-around-town-and-eating-ramen-at-the-ramen-stand-when-I-heard-someone-say-there-was-a-fire-at-your-house-and-there-was-nothing-left-but-smouldering-ashes-and-then-I-remembered-what-you-said-earlier-last-night-about-the-stove-so-I-dropped-everything-and-rushed-over-here-as-fast-as-I-can-to-see-if-you-were-all-right-but-when-an-old-lady-with-a-cat-stopped-me-and…"

"Oh my god, Naruto! _Stop!_" Sakura cried. She closed her eyes and placed both hands over her ears to block out the senseless stream of words. "Stop! _Stop!_ There's no fire at my house so you can just relax!"

Naruto paused for a moment, slightly taken aback.

"Then what's with that huge burnt area in your yard?" he demanded.

"I was burning a few things earlier, but everything is fine now," she said. "Nothing to worry about."

Naruto remained tense for a moment longer, blue eyes wide as the words sank in. Then very slowly, he began to relax. He placed his hands behind his head and grinned one of his fox-like smiles, content that the friend was all right. It was at that moment that Sakura became aware of the fact that there was another person standing at her door. A person with dark hair, dark eyes, and a nearly emotionless face. Sakura flinched back in surprise, thrown off by the fact that she didn't notice this extra guest.

Naruto noticed her reaction.

"Oh, yeah! I brought Sai along, too," Naruto said. He stepped to the side so he was no longer blocking Sai. "I ran in to him after talking to the old lady with the cat."

_Don't these people every sleep?_ Sakura wondered.

Sai stood there morosely. He still remained expressionless and Sakura took note of the very simple nature of his face – smooth and blank with nothing complex to distract from the eyes or mouth. His clothing also fell along these very simple lines. He was dressed in all black from head to toe. The shirt was short and cropped up, revealing more pale skin and taut muscles of his stomach. A single katana holder was strapped across his back along with a pack – which held all of his scrolls and art supplies if she remembered correctly. Overall, Sakura thought that there was something very orderly and methodical about his clothing. Everything was put perfectly in place down to the last stitch across his black gloves and the wrapping that tied down the bottom of the pants. Not a single mark. Just as if everything was brand new.

As he stared at her with those dark emotionless eyes, Sakura suddenly remembered why found Sai so unnerving.

He was always so awkward.

"Hello…" Sakura said. She couldn't help the lack of enthusiasm in her voice. Why did Naruto have to bring him along?

Sai blinked very slowly.

"You have green eyes," he said.

"Yes," she agreed. What else could she say? So awkward…

"They are round and very clear to see," Sai continued. "If I were to draw your face I would use a slightly thicker brush to outline the upper curve of the eyes to represent the lashes, then a smaller brush to fill in the smaller details. I would pay special attention to the way the light reflects off of your eyes and shade in the outer parts before working my way towards the pupils – in this lighting they look dilated. Your eyes also sit a little higher on your cheeks so I would also have to shade in the area directly beneath and catch the blush."

"Huh?" Sakura said.

"You also have a very straight nose and your higher cheek bones that make for some very distinct features. The shading would accentuate the sharp lines of your face, but everything would be balanced out by the curve or your cheeks and the way your bottom lip pouts out slightly. Due to the unique color of your hair, the lighting also plays out in a very interesting way. I would probably use a different sort of shading to demonstrate the different color. Perhaps charcoal or pencil."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sakura admitted.

Sai blinked slowly again. Were his techniques not working? He decided to take a stab at the subject from a different angle. The Copy-nin's words rang through his mind.

"Your character… is strong. You can be really mean at times, but from what I understand you are also taken as very pretty."

Sakura's green eyes went wide. This was a very different Sai from the one she remembered from several years back. The Sai from several years ago would have rudely called her an ugly hag by this point. So, what had changed? Was he really calling her… pretty? She honestly didn't know what to say.

But Naruto did.

"Are you putting the moves on Sakura?!" Naruto shouted. His shoulders tensed up and his hands clenched down into fists, his eyes were full of emotion as he glared at Sai. The energy that radiated from him suddenly increased by tenfold.

"Do you think you can do better?" Sai asked. Even in his flat voice, the insult was clear.

Naruto punched him in the face.

It was a direct hit that knocked him to the side. The pale boy collapsed to the ground with a sound _thunk_ and his head narrowly missed hit the cement walkway. Naruto's arm was still stretched out and his body turned from the force of the punch. His arm dropped and he took step forward to catch himself from falling, too. It all happened with a speed that Sakura could barely comprehend. She stood in shock, watching as Sai remained still, apparently knocked unconscious. The grass curled up around his body and clung at his black clothing.

Something unfurled from deep within Sakura's stomach as she realized something far beyond her control had taken place. The feeling was like a pang of cold – similar to fear but at the same time bore a resemblance to the rush of adrenaline she picked up whenever in the heat of battle. The synapses in her brain were snapping back to full power and it was at this moment that Sakura realized something painfully important.

The fighting had begun.

* * *

_A/N: _Let the competition begin!! Are you guys pleased with the KakaSaku interaction? Trust me when I say that there's going to be a lot more. The next chapter is called... _Will of Fire_. There is one more character that needs to join our merry crew. Just so you know, things are about to heat up and get hot! hot! hot!!

Don't forget to REVIEW!! I seriously love hearing all of your comments. ;) *throws balloons and streamers up into the air*


	5. Will of Fire

_A/N: Has anyone told you guys that you're fantastic lately? Because you are. Thank you for the very kind, very awesome, very amazing reviews. ;)_

* * *

**Winner Takes All**

_Chapter Five : Will of Fire_

* * *

_Your touch trails and burns._

_I want to consume you, _

_and burn you, _

_and watch you turn to ash._

**

* * *

**

It was chaos in the Hyuuga household.

Hyuuga Hiashi watched the pandemonium unfold from the elevated deck in the garden. With his special eyes he could make out every detail of the house from each door to open window, and down to even the smallest speck of dirt on the wall. Without turning his head, the clan leader could observe the tall trees above – each leaf stirring in the breeze. Faint mist shrouded the garden in a hazy curtain and the blades of grass bowed their dewy heads beneath the early morning light. The light moved through the thick foliage of the leaves and the dew drops sparkled like iridescent jewels. The prized Hyuuga garden was the most isolated and private area of the main house. In a household where eyes could see through walls, privacy was highly valued. While others could still look in, there was at least a _feeling _of privacy and seclusion. Only a chosen few were allowed into this safe haven. Hyuuga Hiashi liked to move out here whenever he needed time to think.

Or, whenever he felt terribly crowded – such as now. The delicate balance of the house had been disrupted. He already gave the orders, and now waited patiently for the situation inside of the compound to sort itself out. Situations always had a way of falling back into harmony and balance with enough time. As he waited, he listened to the bamboo fountain in the center of the garden go through its cycles – the water bubbled and splashed in the distance. When enough time passed, the bamboo catch filled with water, tilted forward, and hit the rock base with a rhythmic _smack_.

The echo filled the garden. It was a dull ring – a ghost of a sound that pervaded the tranquil air. As the echo faded away the splash of water could be heard filling the bamboo catch up once again. It hit the rock in another calming, soul enriching, aesthetically pleasing sound. Harmony and balance all in perfect form. The fountain went through this process 32 more times before there was a rush of movement. A gust of wind buffeted off of the sleeves of his robes, and someone landed neatly next to Hiashi on the wooden deck.

Neji lifted his hands away from the damp planks and stood up. He crossed his arms, mirroring his uncle's stance, and made direct eye contact.

"She's not here," Neji said. There was no apology in his voice.

Hyuuga Hiashi's mouth slanted down into a sharp frown. "Hinata is not in her room?"

"No," Neji asserted. "Nor anywhere else in the house. I used _Byakuugan_, but I can't find her. It looks like she really ran off."

The clan leader meditated on this new information. "It is not like Hinata to leave the compound so suddenly…"

In the background a scamper of footsteps filled the air, cut off by banging noises as servants searched through the compound for the missing Hyuuga heiress. Shouts of _Byakuugan _could be heard intermittently through the din. Meanwhile, Neji and Hiashi remained calm and perfectly still in the peaceful air of the garden, as if none of the madness was taking place around them. Uncle and nephew formed an almost perfect reflection as they faced each other – same clear eyes, long brown hair, proud tilt of the head, and arms crossed. The only difference was that Hiashi wore formal robes whereas the younger Hyuuga was dressed in fighting gear. The clan leader also stood a little taller, with broader shoulders, and faint lines of maturity marking his face. Perhaps with enough time, some decades down the road, his nephew would also take on these characteristics.

"Where could she have gone?" Hyuuga Hiashi asked, pondering the question aloud. He brought a hand to his chin in a thoughtful manner. "She is usually good about informing others of her intentions."

"Perhaps she wanted some time alone," Neji said pointedly. "If that's the case then you should respect her wishes and call off the search. Honestly… don't you feel this is a bit much?"

Neji motioned to the panicked household behind them. A few servants could be seen bobbing in and out of doors and running down the halls as they frantically searched for the missing girl. The lady of the house. The sweet, gentle girl who was much too fragile to be allowed to freely roam the village. While Hinata was not, by all means, made prisoner of her home, or kept under close surveillance, it was certainly understood that at least _someone _should have some vague idea of her location at all times. Unless a person could come up with her location soon… some heads would roll tonight. It would bad form for the clan that prided itself in locating lost persons to not be able to find its own mistress.

Hyuuga Hiashi only gave another grimace then turned to the honored guest behind him – the only other witness to this debacle, and who had remained silent this whole time.

"I apologize," he said, "but it would appear that my daughter has taken leave of the house."

Uchiha Sasuke merely nodded his head and continued to gaze off into the garden in a bored sort of way. If he was irked that his fiancé had just ran off, it did not show. He looked completely at ease… perhaps a little too relaxed for someone who was not yet a member of the family. Yet, even as he stood before the two most powerful males of the clan, in the middle of the clan leader's private garden, watching the household tear itself apart in efforts to find the Hyuuga heiress – he seemed quite unperturbed. One hand rested on his roped belt and the other relaxed at his side. His dark raven hair poked up from the back of his head and he looked on with dark steady eyes. In the lighting of the garden it was difficult to tell… but a faint mark – like a bruise – was still visible on one side of his face just below the cheekbone.

As Sasuke moved his head, the lighting changed, and the mark disappeared from his face. He pinned Neji down with his two dark eyes.

"Aren't you the one who usually keeps an eye on Hinata?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes," Neji responded coolly. His face remained emotionless.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed perceptively. "You're doing a rather poor job of your duty, aren't you?"

"I'm not her bodyguard," Neji said. "I merely watch out for her safety at times, like any caring family member. The last thing I would ever want is to see her get hurt."

Neji gave Sasuke an especially pointed look. A chill ran down the Uchiha's spine as he felt the hostility thinly veiled beneath that gaze. Blank, white eyes that were unreadable at any other time became abundantly clear in this one moment. But just before Sasuke could understand the enormity of what Neji was implying – the moment was broken. Like a thread snapped in two.

"I think now would be a good time to calm the household down," Hyuuga Hiashi interrupted.

With a flick of his wrist, he directed for the Uchiha to follow after him and strolled leisurely down the deck and into the estate. Sasuke tore his gaze away from Neji and followed obediently, not wanting to ruin his chances for marriage in this last moment.

"Really, now… I am sorry that my daughter forgot you were visiting today. She is usually more attentive about these things…" The faint words echoed through the air as they walked away.

Neji waited patiently until all words and footsteps faded away. He made sure the Uchiha and clan leader were completely out of sight.

_Byakuugan_, he muttered discreetly. Wide veins popped around his eyes and he could immediately feel the extra flow of chakra. Carefully scanning around, he directed his vision up to the cliff overhanging the Hyuuga compound. For a moment, he focused on a specific spot. Then satisfied, he released the Byakuugan.

_She was still there. _

A small smile flitted around his lips as he calmly followed after the clan leader and the Uchiha.

**

* * *

**

Hinata could feel her heart pounding.

From a distance, the Hyuuga heiress watched her cousin disappear from sight. He had looked directly at her and then smiled before walking away. It was a sign, a quiet message saying that he wouldn't reveal her location. Hinata let out a sigh of relief then and leaned back, feeling the rocky crags dig into her back. She was hiding just inside one of the many alcoves of the cliff. She had discovered long ago that the rocky area provided a good view over the compound. In the days of her youth, when playing hide-and-go-seek, she would often choose the cliff as a hiding spot. Now, it was proving useful in the real version of the game. She took another deep breath, willing the trembling in her hands to stop.

The wedding was just two months away.

For some reason the fact hit Hinata especially hard this morning. It had hit her many times before, but never like this. She woke, wide-eyed and panicky, as the realization jarred her senses. It left a cold plunging feeling in her stomach that was even worse than the feeling of being outnumbered in battle. An alarm bell went off in her mind. Her breathing increased and she nearly had a panic attack right there in the bed. The warm, pleasant glow of her dreams from just moments before vanished in face of this cold reality. Today would be one of the days Sasuke stopped by in one of his courtly visits, and no matter what… Hinata knew that she had to get away. It was one of those rare moments that Hinata felt a hint of reckless and daring. Or just plain desperation. There was absolutely no way she could face the Uchiha today and keep up with her calm facade. So, she ran away. Hiding was nothing foreign to the Hyuuga heiress as she was used to doing so whenever she spotted Naruto.

Hinata pressed her hands to her face. Why did things have to be so difficult?

Why couldn't she just express herself clearly?

Her breathe was shaky as she had frightening thoughts of the future. Hinata envisioned the household under her care. The chaos today directly below was the results of her actions from this morning. Or, rather, her _non-actions_. How much greater would the chaos be if she took over for a lifetime? Then she tried to imagine her future life together with Sasuke. The whole premise of this arrangement was to preserve the strong bloodlines, correct? Hinata suddenly had horrible visions of her future children. She imagined the children running around emotional, moody, and destroying the house. They would have the twin blessings of severe superiority complexes combined with monstrous powers. They would cling to her and look up with strange white and red eyes. All the while, a silent Sasuke would stand in the background, watching with a dark and emotionless face, not willing to lift a finger to help even as the children dragged her down beneath a wave of sticky hands and faces.

It all must have been a curse, Hinata decided. Some sick twist of fate. She must have done something terribly wrong in the past and now the world was out for retribution.

Because in her heart of hearts, Hinata knew that there was only one boy that she could ever love.

She closed her eyes and tried to recapture that warm glow of her dreams. She sat with her arms wrapped around her knees, gazing with worried eyes out into the garden. The hem of her robes were wet and drenched in dew. It was cold up in her small alcove of the cliff, but there was nothing that could persuade Hinata to come down and out of hiding. Not until she was certain her future husband was gone and far, far away.

Just then, she saw a movement in the garden.

Hinata froze. "_Byakuugan_," she whispered, and held her hands in the proper seal. Wide veins appeared around her eyes, and she could feel the sudden flow of chakra as her vision increased.

She focused on the garden where she saw the movement. With the _Byakuugan _everything was sharp and clear and she can see the row of trees along the northern wall waving gently in the breeze. Each leaf was clear and distinct. One tree in particular stirred with movement. Then another… and another… until the whole line of trees were bending and twisting.

_What was this…? An invasion? _

But no… there were no people. Hinata sucked in a breathe as she watched the trees sway in a way that was positively unnatural for any plant. They only way she could describe it was that it was as if the trees were _dancing_. The tall branches reached up towards the sky and were contorting into odd forms. They were bending and swaying. The movements were far too strong for any breeze. Even winds at a gale force could not cause the trees to move like this. The thick branches of the trees twisted out and curved around – jutting out at odd angles. The trunks moved and turned around until each tree formed an interesting and bizarre shape as the branches waved through the air. It was like the trees were _alive_. Hinata watched breathlessly as some of the leaves curved to meet the new directions of the branches. Then as suddenly as it began – all movement stopped. A faint rustle of leaves, then silence. The row of trees froze into their respective new shapes.

A soft breathe left Hinata's lips. Her eyes were wide and her mouth fell open – awestruck at this strange occurrence.

Then something tugged in the back of her mind, and Hinata remembered the conversation she had with her father just a few days earlier. The memory slowly resurfaced.

"_I've hired someone new to take care of the trees in the garden," Hyuuga Hiashi said in a grave manner. _

_He lowered the rim of his cup forward._

_Hinata dutifully refilled the cup with tea._

"_Why, father?" she asked. Her voice was unbearably quiet._

_Steam rose from the hot tea, swirling up into the air. Her father watched the silver wisps for a moment, as if divining an answer from there._

"_Trees are essential for providing harmony and balance in a garden," he said. "However, if not managed properly, they will produce the opposite effect and become harbingers of doom. They are capable of creating large amounts of energy – negative or positive. I noticed the trees in our garden have become a little unruly of late, so I hired someone new to reshape their nature. Hopefully, we will see the resulting good fortune soon."_

_He spoke of the trees as if they determined the fate of the world._

"_Is this person you hired qualified?" Hinata asked. She only asked for the sake of being polite._

_Her father took a sip of the tea, gingerly bringing the rim to his lips, then said, "Yes, very qualified."_

The memory faded away and Hinata snapped back to reality. She focused on the line of trees again, taking note of their new aesthetically pleasing forms. Then she quickly searched for the new hired hand. She scanned along the perimeter of the pristine white garden walls and black tiled tops, then paused. He was standing there – just outside of the gates, admiring his handy work. After a few moments, he turned around and headed off towards the direction of the market area. He moved at a quick pace – as if working on a tight schedule. The man struck Hinata as a fastidious, hard-working type of person.

But he was no stranger, Hinata realized. She knew him, and in fact, he had helped Team Eight in the past. He was an Anbu captain, and the only known wood-jutsu user in the world. If she remembered correctly, he went by the name of Captain Yamato.

**

* * *

**

"And that's when I kicked them off my lawn…!!" Sakura declared.

"Wow," Ino said. "So, you let them get off easy?"

"Well," Sakura admitted. "I punched Naruto several times for good measure. Then once Sai regained consciousness, I kicked him in the gut. I told them that they could go both screw each other over for all I cared. I'm not interested in a relationship."

"Charming," Ino said.

"The problem is that they took my words literally. They took it as encouragement to fight. They're both idiots."

A beat of silence fell between them. Sakura took advantage of the moment to refill her lungs with air after the long rant. She could almost taste the fragrance of a hundred flowers as they hit the back of her throat. Sakura fought back a cough. The flower shop was always overwhelming, especially with the multitude of colors and fragrances, and the busy arrangement of the items in the store. The Yamanaka Flower Boutique functioned on its own sense of order through the chaos, but it was one that Sakura had yet to figure out. As Sakura stood before the counter she could feel the hard tiles beneath her feet. The artificial lights reflected off the floor. In the corner of her eye she could see the even stronger sunlight slowly creeping across the ground, and making its way towards the back. By noon, the wide bay windows would work like a magnifying glass and the whole place would be heated up like an oven. Sakura planned to be out of the store by then.

Sakura felt the smooth texture of flower stems in her hands, but she hid two bouquets out of sight behind her back. Behind the counter, Ino leaned forward in a bored sort of way. She was in the process of folding up another origami creation using scraps of paper. Sakura wondered how her blonde friend could see anything with long curtain of bangs blocking the view. But Ino must have made so many paper creations in the past that she could now function on instinct.

"They're trying to court me," Sakura continued.

"Uh-huh…" Ino said, not really paying attention.

"But I'm not interested."

"Yeah... right…" Ino was now folding a crease line into the paper.

"They're relentless. It's like they're competing against each other. These past two days I must have turned down at least fifty offers for dinners, and movies, and walks, and dates... Now, I don't even let Naruto or Sai talk when they approach me. I just punch them on sight."

"Hmmm…" Ino muttered, then un-tucked and refolded a corner. The origami creation was coming along quite nicely.

Sakura continued on. "They're getting smarter now – believe it or not – and changing tactics. When I woke up this morning I found carnations and roses on my front step. Two different bouquets – one from Naruto and one from Sai. As far as I know, there is only one flower shop in the village." Sakura leaned forward. "Do you get what I'm hinting at…?"

"Uhh—" Ino looked up and suddenly stopped. Sakura was pinning her down with a glare.

There was a sudden clatter as Sakura brought the two bouquets from behind her back and slammed them down on the counter. Ino gave a yelp and quickly drew her hands back – just in the nick of time to save her hands from being smashed. Petals and leaves flew everywhere and fell on the counter. Ino was fast… but not fast enough to save the paper frog beneath.

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!!" Ino shouted.

"IT'S BECAUSE ONE OF MY BESTFRIENDS IS HELPING THE ENEMY!!" Sakura shouted back.

"The enemy? The _enemy_?" Ino gave a small laugh. "Ha! If every man is now the enemy then you better hunker down and set up fort. Because, _newsflash_ Forehead, there are a lot of men in the world!"

Sakura brought her hands up to her face and let out a low groan. "I know…"

"Well, don't get your panties in a twist just yet. There's actually another delivery for you."

Sakura held back a horrified gasp. "What?!"

Ino disappeared behind the counter then reappeared, Sakura watched Ino's blonde ponytail flip up and down. When Ino was upright once more, Sakura focused on the new item in her hands. It was small, ceramic flowerpot, painted a very delicate shade of blue. A broad white ribbon was wrapped around the middle like a bow, marking it as a gift. It was filled with dark rich soil up to the brim and a flower was planted in the very center. The flower was thin. Like a branch, with broad blade-like leaves at the bottom, and five full white blossoms spaced out along the stem. Sakura slowly lowered her hands, taking in the view. Once Ino wiped the bouquets off the counter and placed the pot down on to the flat surface, Sakura could not help but admire the white flowers. For a moment, she was speechless, and she took note of how the velvety white petals actually seem to sparkle under the light. The sign of a healthy, and well care for plant. All in all… Sakura was reluctant to admit… it was actually quite beautiful. She wouldn't mind keeping such a flower in her home.

"They're called orchids," Ino said, crossing her arms. "They're rare this time of season. For care, they only need partial sunlight and to be watered once a week. You hear me? Don't overwater them. Also, you may not like the gifts, but I will say this… your new suitors are providing my family with some really good profit."

"Who ordered this?" Sakura asked. She lightly traced her hand along the rim of the ceramic pot.

Ino's lips quirked into a sly smile. Then she brought a finger to her lips. "I can't tell you. It's a secret."

"Just tell me who bought it."

"He asked me not to say."

"Since when do you keep secrets?!" Sakura demanded. She was certain that her blonde friend was just being difficult. In all of their years of knowing each other, Ino never made things easy for Sakura. If there was any piece of information she could lord over Sakura… she would do so, and quite happily. Sakura would eventually find out the secret, but not after a considerable amount of prying. It would be no different this time around, either. But, to be honest, Sakura was beginning to feel tired and defeated by the whole subject of suitors and flowers.

Sakura let out a sigh. "Can I make a request then?" she asked.

Ino crossed her arms again. "What?"

"Don't… don't accept anymore orders for me."

"Why?"

_Because these gifts are beginning to work. _Especially this last one. Just looking at the full white blossoms created a strange twinge in her heart. Another crack in the shell. The two bouquets might have been cheap attempts to win her affections… but fact remained that Sasuke never made such attempts during their time together. In truth, it was little things like this that Sakura craved in her last relationship. Where Sakura was once starved of gifts and small romantic gestures, people where now fighting for her attention and throwing themselves at her feet. And this last flower was just so… beautiful. It would be a lie to say that Sakura wasn't flattered.

"It's a waste. I'll just throw them away," Sakura said. For some reason, her throat felt tight.

"It's business," Ino said sternly. "I can't turn down any orders."

Sakura could feel the slow thrum of anger build in her veins. Like hell she couldn't! The heat licked at her insides and she clenched her fists, ready for combat. But her blonde friend's eyes were determined, too, showing that she was just a ready to fight back. Things would soon turn into a shouting match, and perhaps, the verbal lashing of the century. The store was heating up to an unbearable intensity that had nothing to do with the sunlight pouring through the wide bay windows. Just then, a tall shadow walked pass – a dark silhouette against the light.

The door chime went off overhead.

Ino snapped her head up, eyes focusing on the new customer. A smile lit up her face and her eyes brightened.

"Captain Yamato!" she greeted. "I'm glad you could make it."

The captain lifted a hand in greeting as he entered the shop. "Hello. I'm sorry I'm late…"

He rubbed the back of his neck in an embarrassed sort of way. Sakura snuck a peak at the clock behind the counter and saw that it was only two minutes past the hour. For Sakura two minutes made little difference, but she supposed for elite ninjas two minutes could amount to life or death. Sakura was reminded how some missions relied solely on meticulous timing for success. It was these types that she hated the most as she always found herself become nervous as time carried on.

Yet, there were those who could handle the pressure. More seasoned and more experienced shinobi.

Sakura's eyes were drawn back to the captain. It had been a long time since she really interacted with him, and his looks were slightly different than what she recalled in her memory. There was nothing special about his appearance, Sakura decided. He was garbed in the traditional jounin uniform – sandals, wrappings, dark blue clothes, topped by a green vest. The only indication of his Anbu status was that of the protective head gear that framed his face. With brown hair and dark eyes, he was average in many ways. Yet… there was something about his features that drew the eye. Sakura couldn't quite put her finger on it, even as she broke up his features one by one. Perceptive green eyes darted back and forth as she tried to figure it out, and she found her herself caught up in this new enigma. For some reason, she could not tear her glance away.

She didn't realize that such bold glances could be mistaken as something else.

"Captain Yamato is here to help the shop," Ino explained.

Sakura took keen interested. "How?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

Yamato offered a small smile back, a small movement in the corner of his lips, that was directed solely at Sakura. He also looked at her as if it he was seeing her for the first time, in a long time. It was in that moment that Sakura realized what was so peculiar about his face… there was something very stiff, almost wooden about his features, as if each part was carved from a blank canvas. Beneath that headgear, she imagined a clean-cut jaw-line that was straight, and smooth to the touch, as if sanded away. It was almost fascinating to watch the animation of each movement – the twitch of a lip, the quirk of an eyebrow, a slow intake of breathe…

"I sometimes give the flowers in the shop an _extra boost _to make them more appealing," Yamato said. He spoke in a low, steady voice.

"_How?_" Sakura asked again. Her green eyes were wide with curiosity.

His lips twitched up into another smile, "Simple. Like this…"

He turned to the nearest flower – a vase of lilies – and clasped his hands together into a seal. Then after a quick mutter under his breath he put the jutsu into action. Sakura watched in fascination as the lilies seemed to _grow _in the vase. The soft white petals reached up towards the ceiling and swayed their heads, gently rocking as they moved up. The petals unfurled and the flowers continued to bloom until they were at least twice their original size. The colors lightened and the petals held that faint healthy sparkle that Sakura recognized from the orchids. Then, quite suddenly, all movement stopped. In all her years of coming to the shop, she never knew… she never realized…

Yamato picked one of the lilies from the vase and offered it to Sakura.

"Would you like one?" he asked. His lips were still turned up into that small smile.

Surprised, and caught off guard, Sakura accepted the flower. She took the smooth stem into her hands and she had to use her other hand to support the flower's heavy head. Through the myriad of scents in the shop, the lily's sweet fragrance drifted up to her nose.

Shooting her one last glance, Yamato turned away and went about his business. He clasped his hands together into a seal and moved on to the next group of plants.

Sakura turned back, a smile on her own lips – which fell off immediately the moment she met Ino's cool blue eyes. There was a smug look about her blonde friend's face.

"Would you like me to take that away, too?" Ino asked. She leaned against the counter and rested her head into her hand. Her voice was full of sarcasm.

Sakura's mouth was dry, and she could not form back a response. Despite herself, she could not deny the slow flutter that had started up in her stomach in that last moment. Sakura decided that it must have been a curse. Some sick twist of fate. Because in the time she did not seek a lover, others sought her; and in the time she needed her heart to be most guarded, she was almost certain that her defenses were slowly going down… and her resolve was weakening…

She watched the Anbu captain move about the room, noting the care and attention he paid to his work. As she watched his hands, there was a strange feeling in her chest.

* * *

There was tension in the air.

Kakashi paused, looking over his shoulder at the two boys on the field. From his discreet spot in the trees he was able to see the whole training ground. He lowered his book as he regarded the two youths just below. Naruto and Sai were out for a spar. They had ruined Kakashi's quiet reading time by stumbling on to the field. It was training time, and by the looks of things, they were primed and ready to fight. Every muscle in their bodies were tight with tension and Kakashi could almost feel their hunger for battle, and in an instinctive reaction the muscles in his own stomach clenched. He had not seen Naruto this ready for combat since the mission in Rock country just a few months before. He was not around Sai enough to really know, but Kakashi suspected that this eagerness to train was also very uncharacteristic.

A prickly sensation ran up and down Kakashi's neck as he realized the air seemed thicker than before. It was warm, charged, and filled with things that Kakashi only associated with the heat of battle. There was also something very ominous about the feeling. The air was heavy, unbearably stifling, and the jounin felt the sudden needto move around. It was no longer the comfortable atmosphere Kakashi first sought when reading just hours before. He pocketed his book, jumped down from the tree, and touched down with the hard training ground. The grass that was so green and lush just days before now felt dry and brittle beneath his fingers.

"Hello, boys," Kakashi said cheerfully. "Out for a friendly spar?"

Naruto stiffly turned his head to acknowledge the jounin. His mouth was tugged down into a serious frown.

"Just training," Naurto said, but the way he held down his hands into fists suggested otherwise. His dark blue eyes were brimming with emotion, and he energy radiated off his bodies in waves. It was as if Naruto himself was the cause for all of the heat in the air. Even as he stretched out his arms and legs, there was eagerness for battle.

Kakashi stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Training, huh?" he then turned to other boy, taking note of how Sai's closed-in nature was the complete opposite of Naruto's. Whereas Naruto was giving off energy, Sai was taking in the environment in a meditative way. Kakashi studied the morose boy, then said, "Since when did you join the group?"

Sai turned his emotionless face up to the jounin and looked on with solemn eyes, but didn't respond, and instead turned his focus back to the task at hand. He was too busy wrapping the ties around his legs and putting each knot to perfection. After he finished this important task, he went on to arranging the items in his carrying pack, pulling out kunais and scrolls and then placing them back – in the exact same position as he had pulled them out.

_Strange, _Kakashi thought. Then shook off the creepy feeling that threatened to rise up when dealing with Sai – which in recent times racked up to this moment and that one time a few days ago. Even so, it was obvious that the two were in no mood for conversation. Something very serious had gone down, and now they were about to sort out their differences the only way shinobi knew how to sort out differences – and that was through _fighting_.

Then again, they really could have been training. But Kakashi didn't get his hopes up too high for this prospect. He moved to the side of the field and watched. Naruto and Sai didn't seem to care about his presence at all, as they were too caught up with the impending match. Perhaps it would be best if he stayed around to make sure they didn't kill themselves… While he did not feel especially obliged to follow through with the task, he did feel _some _sense of responsibility. The jounin leaned back in a languid manner and waited for the battle to begin.

"You're going down," Naruto growled, pointing a finger at the solemn boy.

_Ah… time for the trash-talking._ Being a jounin, and one seasoned in fighting, Kakashi knew at least a few more rounds of this would take place before the real spar began.

Sai looked up with a blank face, "Even if I were to go down on you… there would be nothing there."

Naruto's face flushed with embarrassment. His fury turned into a fine rage.

"You pretend to know nothing, and then you say things like that!" Naruto said, sputtering with anger. "_That's why I hate you!_"

"According to my book of _Social Interactions_," Sai said. "You only hate me because you're jealous. You cannot accept the fact that I'm a better man than you, and you're bitter because you know I will successfully woo Sakura and win her affections. But don't worry. It's normal to feel intimidated and when facing off with a rival better than yourself."

For a moment Naruto stood still as he processed these words.

Then he snapped his dark blue eyes back to Sai, and Naruto shouted, outraged, "But you don't even like Sakura!"

He pointed another accusing finger at Sai.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sai responded back. He spoke in a very flat voice.

"You pretend to like Sakura," Naruto said, "when in reality you're just want to try the things in that book. You don't care if it's Sakura or not. Just as long as it's a girl – _any _girl. But you couldn't settle for just any girl, could you? You had to pick the one that I liked, just so you could compete against me, and stop me at every turn. I don't hate you because I'm jealous. I hate you because you're a _sick freak!_"

Sai blinked very slowly.

"According to my book of _Social Interactions_," he said. "You are now going into your state of delusion due to your sense of inferiority and–– "

Naruto lunged forward with an angry shout and lashed out with his fist. Sai was able to dodge just in time and move out of the way. As he pulled back around, he reached a hand into his pack for his painting supplies. It was at that moment when all hell broke loose. The energy radiating off of Naruto suddenly increased, like a dam breaking forth, and rolled off of his body in dreadful waves. Heat waves broke loose across the ground in rippling shimmers. The very land became like a furnace – burning to the touch. Images of the two boys became like a mirage in the shimmering heat. Naruto put his hands together in the seal for shadow clones, just as Sai touched down his brush to a scroll. An explosion of smoke covered the field and bright orange figures appeared to clash with a multitude of black inked beasts.

Flecks of blood flew into the air.

Kakashi should have intervened.

But he was too caught up in the last part of their conversation to move, and the words looped over and over again in his mind. This was a turn of events that he did not expect. Sure, he always knew that Naruto had a crush on Sakura… but to move so fast… and then Sai… and the questions he asked a few days ago… Kakashi's thoughts could barely keep up with the fast actions taking place on the field, as he divided his attention between thinking and watching. There was another explosion of smoke and bits of dirt rained down from the sky. A few pieces landed by Kakashi's feet, and he could feel the grit as it blasted against his sandals and flew into his face. The battle had quickly grown out of proportion for starting from such a small squabble, and soon, the whole training ground would be destroyed. It was unbearably hot now and the air was thick with the intensity of charged emotions.

He should just let them kill each other. Let them keep fighting. Let them beat each other into a bloody mess until they could no longer move, until they could no longer breathe, and would have to be strapped down to hospital beds, and require weeks of intensive care to recover. That way they would be immobilized, and held in place, while he could freely walk around. It would clear his path and make his attempts to spend time with Sakura easier. He wouldn't have to worry about a couple of deluded, hot-headed youths running around making shots at Sakura. Their very words and actions made a mockery of what Kakashi was trying to achieve. This one thing that he struggled against and held closest to his heart. This soft feeling that had completely taken over his life. And though Kakashi felt in no way threatened by the two younger men, there was no denying that their presence certainly… complicated things.

Yes, he should just let them kill each other.

_But, no_. The small voice in the back of Kakashi's head – the thing he liked to call his conscious – spoke against it. There were a thousand other reasons why he couldn't _really_ let them beat each other to such an extreme. For one thing, Tsunade would kill them all once she found out (which she had an uncanny knack of doing), and for another, Sakura would be greatly distressed. She may put up a tough front and shout angrily at Naruto and Sai for acting so idiotic, but even so, their injuries would still worry her. In his mind, he could see her troubled green eyes and her delicate pink brows pulled down in concern as she worried over their injuries. Just thinking about it put a cold clench into his stomach. So, it was with grim look and gritting teeth that he jumped into the fray. And all though every part of his being shouted against doing so… he worked to pull the two boys apart.

**

* * *

**

"Captain Yamato!" Sakura ran out of the shop.

The cool evening air hit her face, and it was almost cleansing they way it cleared the dizziness from her head. The heavy scent of flowers was knocked away by the cool breeze. The chime went off as the door behind her to the flower shop closed. She could feel the impact of the dirt path against her feet and sky held that wonderful pink glow. The sun was setting and the world was cast in the ethereal light. Sakura did not intend to spend all day at the Yamanaka's Flower Boutique, but events beyond her control took place, and she couldn't help but stay and watch in fascination as Captain Yamato transformed all of the plants into exotic beauties.

Captain Yamato stopped in his tracks and politely waited for Sakura to catch up. He seemed surprised that she would chase after him.

Sakura stopped, slightly out of breathe, but with green eyes glowing. There was something mischievous about her look.

"You don't have to help that Pig out, you know," Sakura said. "You could start your own business instead. It would be a great success."

She watched in interest as his wooden features moved to form a look of amusement.

"Would you really wish such ill upon your friend?" he asked.

Sakura was quick to reply, "Ha! She's not my friend." She clasped her hands neatly behind her back and peered up at him. "No friend of mine would advantage of the hard-working shinobi of the village."

Yamato considered her words for a moment.

"Hmmm. You're different from how I remember you," he admitted.

_Captain Yamato was different from how she remembered him, too. _For one thing, there was something about his gaze. Sakura never remembered having this sort of reaction to his presence in the past. She was younger, completely focused on bringing back a lost teammate, and things ran strictly along professional lines. Team Seven's lives were at stake, and she never once considered looking at the captain as other than the man who led the missions. He was only temporary – someone to take Kakashi's place for the moment, and nothing more. He was not worth considering past the label of "captain" and Sakura was careful to keep a distance, because she knew her _real _teammates would soon come back to fill the void.

She was so focused on the missions back then that she never spared him a look. Now that she did… she was finding that he was someone intriguing. Someone who held her interest. He was honest, sincere, and selfless. He level of maturity swamped that of all of the boys she had known before. To put it quite simply, he was a man, and Sakura found it thrilling whenever she was able to hold his gaze, or do something, or say something in such a way that it made him stop and consider her more. Even if there was no love interest involved, Sakura found that she had the driving need to impress. Yes, it was all about winning admiration from another shinobi. Gaining a new friend, nothing more than that…

She was only deluding herself.

Yamato suddenly snapped his head up, lifting his gaze away from Sakura. His dark eyes widened slightly in surprise and he lifted his hand in greeting.

"Sempai!" he called. There was delight in his voice.

Sakura glanced over her shoulder to see Kakashi approaching in the distance. He was walking in a slow and languid pace, both hands shoved into his pocket, and with his head slightly lowered – a sign of weariness. Sakura recognized this look from walking back home with Team Seven after especially difficult missions. She could feel her heart rise in her throat in sympathy, and she wondered what sort of work could leave her former sensei so weary. She recalled a few days back when she encountered him on the street. He had returned from several difficult missions back-to-back, but he remained unmarked and still seemed fresh then.

Taking his time, Kakashi slowly made his way up to their spot. Yamato and Sakura were forced to wait until he came around. All though he was looking at them, his gaze seemed off, as if he were meditating on some deep thoughts. As he came closer, it was obvious that was covered from head to foot in dirt. Bits of grass and gravel clung to his clothes and hair.

"Well, this is a rare sight," Yamato said, referring to the chance meeting, and the fact that Kakashi was covered in debris. "You actually look a little beat up, sempai."

Sakura's eyes were also wide. "What have you been doing?" she asked.

Kakashi slouched forward and sighed. "Mission work," he said in a flat voice. "I had to wrestle down some moles. They were destroying the training ground."

Yamato let out a laugh. Yet, he managed to remain a tone of respect as he said, "I would have paid anything to see that."

Sakura was more kind in her response. Taking a step forward, she reached out and brushed the dirt and grass off of Kakashi's clothes. She didn't seem to notice the way his arm tensed up beneath her light touch, or how his body tensed when she gripped his arm for support so that she could reach the dirt in his hair. She had a clean scent and a soft presence. Kakashi closed his one eye and forced himself to remain very, very still – not daring to even breath for this brief moment. Sakura brushed her hand over his sleeves and vest again. Sakura's actions were sudden, and Kakashi forced to exert a great amount of self-control, but with his eye closed – this internal struggle wasn't obvious, and to any outsider he simply looked tired.

"There," Sakura said, satisfied. "That's better."

Kakashi finally slid his eye open to see Sakura looking up at him – hands clasped behind her back. She was giving him that pretty smile.

"Get some rest, Kakashi-sensei!" she encouraged cheerfully, then said, "I'm going home."

She switched her smile briefly to Yamato, and her eyes lingered before turning away. Sakura turned to the direction of her home, and walked away with a smooth, graceful gait. The sky had turned to a deep blood-red, and the trees and buildings of the village had taken on a darkened silhouette. Soon, Sakura was down the street and out of sight.

It was not lost on Kakashi how Yamato's gaze also trailed after the pink-haired kunoichi.

"I hate you," Kakashi said suddenly. His voice was low and bitter.

Yamato snapped his attention back to Kakashi, dark eyes going wide with surprise. The movement was slow against his stiff face. Then after a moment, his face turned to that of amusement.

"You only say that because she was once your student, right?" Yamato asked. "You were her sensei, so naturally, you feel protective of her."

For a moment Kakashi did not respond.

Then finally, he said, "No."

He did not explain any more than that. An awkward silence stretched on in which Yamato half-expected for Kakashi to continue. But the jounin seemed content with fixing him with a rather solid glare. His one exposed eye drooped down in a languid way, but Yamato was familiar enough with the Copy-nin to know that it would be a grave mistake to underestimate him through all of his indolent actions. Even as he slouched down – somehow, in this one moment, Kakashi seemed taller and more intimidating than before.

Yamato did his best not to shrink back. He stiffened his back. "I don't understand…" he said.

"Then I'll make it simple. Stay away from Sakura."

Kakashi walked past him then, walking at his slow unhurried pace. Even if nothing in his actions suggested harm – he gave off a threatening aura. It was heated, stifling, and full of killer intent. He was silent as he went by, moving at a leisurely pace. It seemed like an eternity until he disappeared down the street, and Yamato did not relax until he was certain the Copy-nin was several blocks away. It was still a while after that until he was able to bring his breathing and heart-rate down to a steady rate. The small spikes of adrenaline faded away from his system. The atmosphere of charged emotion slowly dissipated.

Overprotective sensei could be so damn frightening.

**

* * *

**

_A/N: Whew! That chapter was intense. But don't relax just yet because there's more drama to come. The next chapter is called… Rotten Wood. You can probably guess what chaos unfolds in this next chapter. Trust me, it's going to be fun. Also, there will be no more of these outrageous, ridiculously long delays between chapters. From now on weekly updates will be the norm. ;)_

_Finally, don't forget to… REVIEW!! I just love hearing your comments.*throws confetti into the air*_


	6. Rotten Wood

_A/N: You guys + reviews = pure awesome. I'm dazzled by your sheer awesomeness. That's a fact. ;)_

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* * *

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**Winner Takes All**

_Chapter Six : Rotten Wood_

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* * *

_

_Mend my heart,_

_Brush off the dust,_

_Heal my wounds,_

_And make your mark._

_

* * *

_

Once upon a time…

There was a shinobi. He was a dorky sort of guy with slicked back hair and a bad taste in clothing. But despite his terrible fashion sense, he had a pretty cool message and lots of guts. This man went around the world preaching the doctrine of "let's be peaceful and stop fighting", which was a strange thing to do when everyone else was out to conquer land. Most people just laughed at him and made fun of his clothing choice, but a small minority took note of his words. And _everyone _stopped laughing the moment he unleashed a powerful, never-before-seen wood-jutsu; proving he was more than just some poorly-dressed pansy pacifist.

He went from country to country this way and gained a few loyal followers. But as time dragged on, the man realized that his use of ass-kicking to spread the message was contradictory to the message itself. To end this vicious cycle he withdrew from the world. He went deep into the woods, gathering up his few associates, and founded his own village. With creativity skills rivaling his level of fashion sense, he cleverly called this place the _Village Hidden in the Leaves_. More commonly known as _Konoha_ today. He dubbed himself the First Hokage, and immediately went about setting order to the country through negotiations and diplomacy (and yes, just a little more ass-kicking). During his reign he successfully brought peace to the land and established the foundations to what would be one of the strongest villages the world had ever known.

The First Hokage was a compelling and fearless leader, but caring and generous at the same time. He created a concept called _Will of Fire _and passed on his legacy to his students – willing for them to carry on the same sort of courage and daring, and to never back down from a challenge.

Seven generations later the same principle would hold true.

Yamato stretched out his hand and watched the fingers morph into wood. The organic element twisted out and formed abstract shapes of his own amusing. He often did this in the morning to gauge his condition. When his health failed, so did his jutsu, and it was a way of measuring his fitness on a given day. On a microscopic level he could almost feel the moment one type of cell switched into another, and smooth flesh turned into something entirely different.

Yamato had inherited more than just the Will of Fire from the First Hokage – he had inherited his very genes. Due to horrible, unmentionable experiments performed by Orochimaru, Yamato was given the First Hokage's genetic makeup at birth and unique wood-jutsu ability. The type of blood that ran through the veins of the First Hokage ran through his own, making Yamato the closest thing to the founder's progeny as humanly possible. Members in Anbu often went above and beyond the expected, but not many could boast of going to such an extreme.

The wood gathered to the center of Yamato's hand and sprouted up in a delicate imitation of a tree. Small leaves and blossoms sprouted along the branches and for a moment the miniature plant became a perfect likeness of the sakura trees common around the village – tall and proud, but delicate and beautiful. But this likeness only lasted for a moment before this image trembled and collapsed, and melded back to smooth skin. Wood turned to flesh, and Yamato carefully flexed his hand, feeling the strain of skin and bones once more. He pushed himself up and sat on the side of the bed. Bare feet touched against wood floor.

His health was normal today – but his thoughts were scattered. Which was understandable considering recent events.

Yamato ran his hands through his hair, feeling the rough brown locks. He had _really_ screwed up this time. And he was doing so well, too. After re-shaping the trees in the Hyuuga garden, exhausting all of his energy at the local flower shop, and gaining the admiration of a pretty young woman – he messed up, and completely lost the favor of his most respected senpai. Two steps forward, one step back. He just hoped the small gains would outweigh the major losses.

That Sakura girl was very different from the young thing he remembered on Team Seven a few years back. She had the same pink hair and green eyes as before, as well as the same slender build and toned body, but there was something different about the way she carried herself. It was in the way she walked and moved, and the way she spoke. Yamato noticed the difference immediately when seeing her in the Yamanaka Flower Boutique. Her bold eyes trailed up and down his form, and Yamato understood there was a new depth to this girl that he had never seen before. There was a new dimension to be explored, and she beckoned him with welcoming glances.

She cocked her head up and greeted him with a coy smile, but when he offered her a flower she retreated bashfully. She put up a tough front, but Yamato was willing to bet there was a softer side hiding just beneath the surface. This kunoichi may have appeared strong on the outside, but she would probably tremble and moan in the softest way beneath his touch. She was still young after all, and probably not too experienced in such dealings. For some reason, this thought gave Yamato great pleasure. Compared to other kunoichi, who were intimidating and power-crazy, she was not threatening at all.

He liked the idea of being the one to make her drop away her tough façade and reveal her true self while throwing her head back, and gasping beneath him. This small fantasy was surprisingly vivid in his mind. He could almost feel her skin beneath his hands and hear her voice as she moaned. Though he would not deny that such thoughts occupied his mind from time to time – the strength of this one in particular surprised him. He was a very busy man, often pushing himself to his limits until he dropped in exhaustion. It was rare when a woman, or really anything, could capture his attention so entirely.

Without a doubt, he needed to get closer to Sakura.

But then there was the whole issue of the senpai. Yamato could still hear _his _voice, too, ringing in his ears.

The voice was cold, and sharp as a whip. _Stay away from Sakura_.

Yamato had known Hatake Kakashi for many years. It was a very distant relationship, but still, Yamato liked to imagine that he knew enough about the Copy-nin to know when something was out of the norm. The Copy-nin had let out waves of killer-intent as he issued out that warning. There was no doubt in Yamato's mind that Kakashi would make good of his unsaid threat and effectively _kill _him if he made any moves on his former student. While he often had a laid-back attitude, he could be dead-serious when it came to protecting the ones he care for.

Where Yamato once felt awe and respect whenever he heard Kakashi's name, now he could only imagine the jounin slitting open throats – the same way he had seen him do before during intense Anbu missions. In particular, Yamato could imagine Kakashi slitting open _his throat_, and the thought filled him with fear and dread. He contemplated this predicament, tapping a finger pensively against his leg.

He wondered if some things were really worth the risk.

* * *

Sakura unzipped the top of her vest.

Three fingertips wrapped around the metal clasp of the zipper, and slowly dragged down. The quiet hum reached her ears and broke through the silence of the room. Time slowed down – widened, expanded – as the clasp ripped through each metal hook. Each hitch became magnified in the quiet and could be felt through her hand during the steady descent down. A little more skin became revealed in the widening gap, just a peek of smooth flesh beneath red cloth, and delicate fingers did not stop until they were a few inches below the collar bone. Mission accomplished. Destination reached. The hand slipped away, and a soft sigh escaped through parted lips.

Humid air hit this new patch of skin, but did little to relieve the heat. Sakura could feel the dampness in her clothes, and a bead of sweat trickle down her back as she leaned forward. The unpadded chair creaked and wobbled before stabilizing. It had a habit of making this noise whenever she moved, which is why she hated using this room to file paperwork for Tsunade. She glanced around at the four walls that would be her prison for the next three hours, taking note of how the piles of paper on the floor seemed to have doubled since the last time she had been here just a week before.

The room was stuffy and cramped, with just enough space for filing cabinets and stacks of paper, and a small desk with a creaky chair. Sakura carefully turned to her left, making sure her elbow didn't bump into the wall as she reached for a pile of folders resting on the window sill. Her hand briefly reached into the sunlight and the intense heat scorched her skin. She was quick to turn back and drop the heated folders on to the desk.

Sakura made a small noise of annoyance and waved her burned hand around. What she wouldn't give for a ice pack at the moment, or a cool smoothie, or a blizzard! She closed her eyes and leaned back, feeling the chair creak as she did so. She felt beat, exhausted, and felt ready to give in for the day – and it was only mid-morning. So what if a few mission reports didn't get filed away? Or if the village went bankrupt due to negligent record-keeping? It was simply too hot work, and Sakura was in no mood to try. A heat wave like no other had descended on the village, and coincidentally, the air-conditioning unit in the Hokage's office had broken down.

According to the repairman – an scruffy guy with bristly mustache – the air-conditioning unit was simply "_too old and rusty_… _didn't have the heart to go on…"_ It would take several days to replace with a newer model, and until then, all the people of the office would have to suffer and work through the misery. Being slightly smarter than the rest – and never one to be content with the state of affairs – Sakura rummaged through the storage closets until she found fan. It was a small square thing that now sat on top of the filing cabinets across the room. The position was high enough and angled at just the right way so that the air stream would not disturb the piles of paper.

But upon plugging it in, Sakura was quick to learn exactly _why _it had been stored away in the closets. One of the pads at the base was missing, making it so that the fan rocked back and forth with each rotation. It also needed to be oiled, and the third blade squeaked whenever it reached the top. All together, the constant rocking and squeaking was enough to remind Sakura of certain other activity, but it was unbearably hot, and she was desperate enough to endure the sound if it meant a little relief from the heat. Even if the fan did little more than throw back some of the hot air that already existed in the room. _Squeak… squeak… squeak…_

This is how Sakura worked through the morning. During the time she successfully blocked out the heat and noise and filed away papers. Now as she leaned back in the chair to rest, all distractions were coming back at full force. Sakura eyed the fan, watching as it rocked back and forth, back and forth, and squeaked with every turn. She shifted around uncomfortably, and felt the chair creak beneath her. There was a time when she lived in an apartment complex years earlier, and sometimes at night the same kind of noises would filter through from next door.

Sakura brought a hand up to her face as if to chase away the memory. She was young and impressionable then, and she remembered the feeling of mortification upon the first night she heard those sounds through the wall. She shook her head again. The chair wobbled and she threw out her hands to stabilize herself on the desk. The surface felt hot and sticky beneath her fingers. Another memory came to surface, filling her senses like a flash.

_He pressed her against the sticky countertop. Hot breathes and restless moans reached her ears as she threaded her fingers through raven hair…_

Sakura suddenly leaped from the chair as if scalded. A feeling of revulsion rolled through her stomach. In two steps she was across the room. In another step, she was yanking the plug from the wall.

The blades died down with a soft whir, and the slowing squeaks followed her all the way down the hall, even after she slammed the door shut. Heat seemed to radiate from all sides of the hallway, from the very floor, and walls, and ceiling. Sakura sucked in a warm breathe and brushed the damp bangs away from her face as she made her way past the other office doors. _It was too hot_… _too hot! _And the stifling heat was driving her mad. It was impossible to work under these conditions.

She had to get out of the office. She had to get away noise… away from the distractions. From the corner of her eye, she caught glimpses of the other miserable workers slumped down at their desks. _Poor saps_, she thought, knowing that they would have to stay the rest of the day.

But not Sakura…

She reached the big door at the end of the hall. When there was no response from her knock, and she dared to push open the door and peek inside. Her heart sped up in anticipation.

_Yes! _Tsunade was asleep. The woman was planted face first into the desk, a dribble of drool running down her chin. That position would not be good for her neck. Feeling a stab of guilt and a little bit of pity, Sakura quietly crept inside and readjusted the woman's head. She was glad that her shishou was a deep sleeper. Otherwise pulling off little stunts like this would be impossible. Once the woman was out, she was _out_. With that task done, Sakura quietly backed out of the office and closed the door. She then made her way across the corridor and down the two flights of stairs.

Her only major concern now was getting past Shizune. The young woman could be very nice and easy-going, but she was also sneaky… and if there was work to be done, then she had a manipulative way of pushing it off on to others. Sakura had fallen for Shizune's traps more times than she could count over the years, and she did not enjoy the prospect of running into her now.

She could feel her mouth go dry and she glanced around paranoid sort of way, but her worries proved to be unfounded. In the next moment, she was standing in the reception area and pushing open the wide glass doors to the outside. A wave of heat crested over her body. It was like stepping out into a furnace. It was unbearable, and it was hot… but it was freedom.

Sakura felt like celebrating as she successfully managed to slough off her duties. Perhaps, karma was on her side today.

She headed to the direction of the market district. The unpaved streets had become extra dry of late. Clouds of dust swept through in the hot breeze, and occasionally, Sakura was forced to stop and raise her arm to protect her face from the dust. It was not wise to stay out for long in such heat, and Sakura half a mind to find shelter in some other building soon. She could already feel the strong rays of the sun soaking into her skin and feared that it would leave burn marks. Her tight clothes clung to her body, damp with perspiration. Her mouth was dry from thirst.

Sakura heard a low moan and whipped her head around in time to see another woman and a boy passing by in the streets. Sakura judged the woman to be middle-aged, civilian, and the boy – her son. The woman wiped her forehead as she spoke to the child, "It's so hot…"

"_So hot…" his low moans filled her ears. He was grabbing on to her hips, holding firmly, as he pressed into her again and again…_

Sakura snapped her head up. She brought a hand up to cover her eyes and shook her head violently. The mother and child shot her an odd look, but she ignored them as she passed by. Against all reason, her breathing and heart rate had increased, and she felt a flush of longing between her legs. But it was only instinctive. Her body had been conditioned over the past year to respond this way. Instantaneous response. Even if her mind shouted _no! _her rebellious body still whispered _yes… _She let her hand drop, blinking away the heated moisture that threatened to fall from her eyes, and moved forward with a determined air. _Head up, shoulders back… there. Just like that. _

It had been a week since the breakup, but her body still remembered all too well what it was like to be connected to _him_. She would sometimes would wake up in the middle of the night. As her dreams faded away, the feelings of intimacy would dance around the corners of her memory. For a brief moment she would lie still, confused over these mixed feelings of desire and self-loathing, and wonder if there was some part of her that liked this sort of pain. She wondered if there was some sort of weak aspect of her character that clung on to these moments. To be honest, everything about their relationship had become jumbled up, and she no longer knew which parts were fantasy and which parts were real. Then after enough thinking, a feeling of revulsion would wash over her like a wave and she would no longer feel doubt over her conflicted desires.

She only knew that she felt anger at him, and anger at herself.

Sakura could feel her blood boiling up with this remembered rage, but firmly pushed the feelings back. She had done so well to throw out thoughts of Sasuke over the past few days. The distraction of Naruto and Sai partly contributed to this success. The two had kept her on her toes with their constant attempts for her attention. They would appear at random moments, at all hours, in any place, making offers for dinners and dates. In those rare moments that they showed up at the same time, they would bicker and fight each other. She had been so caught up with rebuffing their actions that she had no time think of other things.

Although less than ideal… they certainly served a purpose in keeping her distracted. It was so strange… she had not caught sight of either one today. Ever since the last attempts with the bouquet, she had not seen or heard from either of them. The sudden freedom to walk about free and unhindered was both refreshing and alarming. And despite herself, Sakura could not help but wonder what the two boys where doing. She could only hope that they weren't beating each other to death, or planning some greater escapade to capture her attention.

Heat licked at the back of her legs and humidity clung to her skin. She went down the streets at a steady pace. In the distance, she saw a mirage of a girl with pearly white eyes and long dark hair. She continued to walk towards this image, wondering if there was some deep psychological reason for her mind projecting this vision of Hyuuga Hinata. But as she continued to approach, the image only sharpened instead of fading away, and the shimmering heat wave disappeared, revealing that this image was not a mirage, but completely, and absolutely corporeal.

The realization hit her like a sledgehammer.

Sakura stopped cold in her tracks, winded. Her body went tight with tension as the panic dropped down to her stomach. She was aware that the Hyuuga heiress was approaching… but her mind was drawing a blank. This was all too sudden, unexpected, and she had no idea how to react. She never thought that she would have to worry about crossing paths with the Hinata. As she always assumed she would be able to avoid her… forever. She never spared Hinata a second thought, but obviously, this was no longer an option… as Hinata was approaching her at that very moment, and closing in the distance with every step.

For the first time in her shinobi life, Sakura found herself on the border of having a major crisis – a miniature meltdown. Adrenaline shot through her body, as she automatically went into mission-mode. Her mind quickly took over and ran through the options. She could:

A) Run ----- B) Panic ----- C) Talk to Hinata ----- D) Punch her in the face

Sakura quickly threw out option D, knowing that it was just her instinctive reaction to all threatening situations. All though always interesting, it would not help her at this particular moment. She also threw out option B, knowing that it would also be of no help. That narrowed the options down to "run" or "talk to Hinata". Sakura quickly glanced around, discovering that she was surrounded by buildings on either side. It would be too obvious if she made a dash for the rooftops, and there was no way she was heading back to the Hokage's office.

Which meant she could still run _towards _Hinata, but Sakura did not feel inclined towards this option either. That's it. She would make a dash for the rooftops, lack of subtlety be damned. She bent her knees slightly, ready to make the leap, but as she glance back one last time, she found her body locking up.

Pearly eyes gazed up from a distance – a special bloodline passed down through generations. Blessed only to a chosen few. But even so, the young woman's head was tilted down, and the way she walked did not suggest the air of a conquering queen, but instead, of someone who was lowly and filled with shame. And on her face, was a look of sadness that was hard to ignore…

_Go! Go now while you still have a chance…! _But her treacherous body refused to obey, or for some reason beyond her understanding, Sakura found her stance relaxing. Sunlight made everything overly bright and hot, and Sakura found it hard to think. There was a loud buzz of cicadas in the distance, and in her ears was the loud sound of her beating heart. A tightness gripped her throat, and though one part of herself shouted to _run, _another part whispered to _stay_. She was conflicted. But deep down, she knew which option she would follow…

The sun had reached the zenith, and stood still like a pillar – holding up the center of the sky. The world came to a jarring halt. Two lives that had been running parallel with each other until now crossed over and clashed. Intertwining, and briefly touching for this one moment.

Hinata paused, clear eyes widened as if seeing Sakura for the first time. A characteristic blush formed on her face.

"H-h-hello, Sakura…" she said timidly. She paused in the street, directly across from Sakura. A cloud of dust rose up from the center.

It looks like it would be option C, then.

Sakura offered a tight smile back. "Hello, Hinata…" She clasped her hands behind her back and did her best to appear normal. Just like any other conversation she had with Hinata before. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"Yes…" Hinata agreed. Her voice was unbearably quiet.

A silence fell between them, and Sakura realized that she would probably have to make more of an effort if this conversation was going to last. _So, how's the wedding plans going…? _But that would have been too callous to ask. Perceptive green eyes noted the way Hinata shifted around uncomfortably, as if there was something more she was struggling to say. Long dark hair framed her soft face a curvy body. She bit her bottom lip in a nervous habit that Sakura recognized from the academy days. A long sleeve, lavender jacket covered the top of her body, even in the impossible heat, and long pants protected her legs.

Sakura wondered how Hinata could even stand a moment in the sun wearing such warm attire. But could only assume that after living in such a strict environment, the timid Hyuuga heiress had become used to standing under great heat and pressure – even if it was of a different kind.

"A-a-actually," Hinata admitted. "I… I saw…you before." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Sakura lifted her head, surprised that she didn't have to draw the shy girl into speaking.

"When?" she asked. She cocked her head to the side and pink strands fell away.

"At…the terrace…" Hinata replied. She was fidgeting with her hands nervously.

Ah, the tea house. The moment came back to Sakura with surprising clarity. After spending a day on the training field, Naruto treated her to dinner. But Sakura promptly ran away the moment she spotted Hinata with Sasuke on the opposite terrace.

Hinata had more to say. "And just now…" the quiet girl admitted. "…I was looking for you…"

"You were looking for me?" Sakura asked, incredulous.

"I-I have a q-question…to ask you—"

_She had a question to ask? _Sakura crossed her arms. "Then let's hear it."

"Um…" she fiddled with her hands. Her clear eyes were looking everywhere but at Sakura.

"Go on," Sakura encouraged.

"Uh…" Hinata's blush deepened, she opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"Just say it." Sakura said, feeling her patience slipping away. She tried to be a nice person. But honestly…

"…D-d-do you like Naruto-kun…?" Hinata stuttered. As she asked this, her eyes took on the look of quiet despair – as if she already knew the answer – and her face turned an even deeper red. For a brief moment, Sakura remained silent as she absorbed this question. The synapses in her brain crackled to life, taking in this new information. It was just as if she was given a missing piece of a puzzle, and her mind worked in overtime to put all of the parts together. Sakura was reminded of a time she threw a kunai at a tree and a flock of birds scattered from the branches. Her thoughts fluttered about in the same way.

The pieces fell in place.

* * *

Naruto slammed his glass down on to the counter. "Hey, bar-keep! Hit me with another drink."

He slouched down, resting both elbows on the countertop. His orange clothes contrasted with the blue paint of the food stand and the red stool beneath. The countertop was smooth and worn away from countless costumers leaning forward in the exact way Naruto was doing, and from being wiped down and cleaned after every meal. Naruto swiveled slightly on the stool, taking note of the delicious steam wafting up in the background.

It was a hot day, but he could not deny the beckoning smell of the specialty dish – his absolute favorite. The server came up then, dressed in a spotless white uniform from head to toe. Her apron was just as clean, and she kept her brown hair tied back in a white handkerchief. She approached with a pitcher to refill his drink, but the features of her young face were pointed down in concern.

"Naruto-kun, this is your fifth glass of orange juice," Ayame chastised. She placed a hand on her hip and glanced down with worried eyes. "Are you sure you want more?"

Naruto merely waved his hand in a depressed sort of way, motioning _yes_, he wanted more. With a helpless sigh, Ayame poured him another glass. The pitcher was already half-way empty of the liquid happiness that Naruto so craved. If Naruto kept up this demand she would have to keep more in stock for the future. The strong citrusy smell filled the air as she poured the drink. It was recent policy for the Ichiraku ramen stand to serve specialty breakfast items in the morning while preparations went underway to set up the broth and noodles for the ramen. Her father did this part while Ayame went about serving the loyal, early morning customers.

So far, this enterprising idea was proving to be quite the success. And they had made enough money that Ayame could splurge on buying new shoes. She briefly glanced down at the strappy sandals and wiggled her toes, admiring the way her freshly painted pink nails glistened in the light. The secret that she would never reveal to the customers is that she actually bought all of the breakfast items from the store across the street and sold it at the food stand at a slightly higher price.

"I would like some more, too, please," Sai said. He politely pushed his glass forward. He occupied the seat next to Naruto, sitting up straighter, and keeping his hands neatly off of the counter.

Ayame refilled his cup, too.

"This won't bring you any real happiness," she told them. "You can't drink all of your worries away."

Naruto ignored her words. Instead, he grabbed the glass and threw his head back, draining all of the contents down in one swig. The sweet cool liquid slid down his throat. Ah… sunshine in a glass. He let out a refreshing breathe and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand in a crude way. Finally, when all was said and done, he slammed the glass back down on the counter. "Another!" he demanded.

"No!" Ayame said outraged. "You're not even tasting it! Honestly, you've had enough… don't forget that you still have to pay for everything afterwards, Naruto-kun. Just wait a little bit longer, and the ramen will be ready to order."

Naruto let out a bitter laugh, sounding far too dark and jaded for his years. "Ah…Ayame," he said, as if reminiscing. "To be young and naïve again…!"

Sai blinked slowly, turning his gaze between the two. "Isn't Ayame-san older than you…?" he asked.

Ayame offered a tight smile before saying, "Yes," and turned away from the two boys, obviously having had enough of their nonsense. She went to the back of the stand to help her father prepare the broth. As she walked away, Naruto watched the pitcher in her hand with longing.

"Hey, wait–" he shouted and stretched out a hand. Suddenly, he jerked back and cradled his arm in pain. "Ow…ow…ow…"

All though Naruto had incredible healing abilities due to the chakra of the Nine-tailed demon fox, his arm still hurt from yesterday's spat on the training field. He winced at the sudden movement and then gingerly brought a hand up to the back of his head where he received a rather nasty blow during the fight. He would be fully recovered from his injuries by tomorrow, but until then, he would have to watch his usually enthusiastic movements.

He eyed his arms and hands, noting the way all of the cuts and bruises were already healed over. There used to be dark bruises around his right forearm where Kakashi had grabbed him with a tight grip, and threw him into a tree to end the battle. Part of the tree had been blasted away by the force of impact, and Naruto walked away with splinters in his clothes and skin.

Naruto brought a hand up to his head again, suddenly remembering how his head had knocked back against the tree. It might have been due to the blow to the head, but the last part of the battle was really sketchy and Naruto only remembered bits and pieces. The most vivid part he remembered were the stars that exploded behind his vision before going unconscious. On another, slightly related note, he also woke up this morning with a hard time pronouncing any word that started with the letter "b".

Sai still had the dark bruises on his arm, along with a few other injuries. Fortunately for Sai, Kakashi had decided to slam the boy into the ground instead of a tree, so he was able to walk away without the misery of splinters. Unfortunately for Sai, the morose boy had no powerful Nine-tailed demon fox to help his road to recovery. Instead, he had a stack of medical textbooks that detailed the precise way to care for and bandage up injuries. Sai had followed these instructions down to the smallest detail. His left arm was set and placed in a cast, and every scrap and cut had been treated and bandaged to perfection. Light ointment had been carefully applied to his black eye.

He was a model example of a recovering patient, and his attention to detail would have put less-able medics to shame. On another, slightly related note, there was now an impressive crater in the middle of the training ground where Sai was thrown by Kakashi, and landed on his arm. While lying flat on his back, he was able to get a good look at the crater, and vaguely remembered estimating the hole to be 7ft deep before passing out.

"Who the hell does Kakashi think he is, anyway?!" Naruto exclaimed. His hands were clenched into fists.

"He is a great man," Sai said, speaking in a slow and meditative way, "but even I do not understand the reason for his interference."

Sai went about carefully retying the knot around his arm-sling. Condensation had gathered on the glass and made his hand slick. He carefully wiped his hand on his pants before starting his meticulous task. His attention was focused solely on his arm.

"Perhaps his reasoning goes beyond our level of comprehension," Sai reasoned. "I read a quote once saying that great men are often misunderstood geniuses."

"_Genius my ass!_" Naruto shouted. "It doesn't matter if Kakashi is some sensei or jounin. This was supposed to be a battle between just two people: _you _and _me,_" he jabbed his finger at Sai then at himself. "No one invited him to jump in."

Sai blinked very slowly. His face remained completely expressionless.

"I would have won anyway," Sai concluded. "My ink creations were destroying your clones."

Naruto exploded at this statement. He slammed his hands down on the counter and stood up. "_Who's the one with the black eye and broken arm?!"_

"Naruto-kun, please!" Ayame pleaded. She reappeared from the back of the stand, ladle in hand, and leveled them both with a glare. "You're going to scare away the customers." She placed both hands on her hips and gave a final squint-eyed look before taking away their empty glasses. As she disappeared to the back Naruto begrudgingly sat down on the stool, feeling it swivel as he turned to the side. He planted an elbow on the counter and rested his head in his hand in a moody sort of way. He was still brimming with energy and restlessness, but his desire for a bowl of ramen – no matter how hot it was outside – was still greater than his desire to hurl accusations at Sai. The last thing he needed was to get thrown out of his favorite ramen stand.

Just then, a familiar presence entered Ichiraku.

Captain Yamato brushed aside the dark blue curtains overhanging the entranceway and ducked inside. He choppy brown hair just touched against the bottom flaps of the curtain before he moved forward and stood his full height. He was dressed in his jounin uniform – with long sleeves, pants and vest, and a faint sheen of perspiration covered his face. The heat seemed to follow him into the stand, radiating from his dark clothing before dissipating into the air. Calm brown eyes darted back and forth, taking in the scene. Then the stiff features of his face shifted, and a small smile tugged at his lips.

"I thought I heard your voice, Naruto," the captain said.

Naruto snapped to attention, and Sai slowly lifted his head – taking interest in this new arrival.

"I was just wondering," Yamato said. "Where could I find Sakura?"

Instead of smiling in the carefree way he usually would, Naruto only shot him down with a suspicious glare. "Why?" he demanded.

Yamato was thrown off by this sudden hostility, but nevertheless offered a friendly smile. "Uh… there's something I wanted to discuss with her." He tip-toed around the subject carefully.

Naruto continued to glare at him in a disconcerting way. Dark blue eyes pierced through heart, pierced through soul, searching for a second motive. Then after a moment, he relaxed and grinned, rubbing the back of his neck in sheepishly. "That's all right, I guess." Blue eyes were brimming with happiness. Naruto then shot a suspicious glare at Sai, knowing that if he revealed Sakura's location out loud, then the morose boy would be there in a heartbeat, asking for Sakura to heal his wounds.

Naruto motioned for the captain to lean in closer. Raising an eyebrow, Yamato ducked down as Naruto cupped his hands and whispered into his ear, "She's probably at the Hokage's office right now…"

Sai looked at them both in a bored sort of way. "I already know where she's at."

"Shut up!" Naruto snapped. He suddenly jerked back, forcing Captain Yamato to avoid his waving hands. "If you know where she's at, then why aren't you there right now…??"

Sai was silent for a moment, then said, "… I like the orange juice here."

For a moment Naruto held his mouth wide open as if he were about to argue and derail Sai for his foolish words, but then settled down and muttered, "…agreed."

It was clear that Captain Yamato had missed something. Something very important. But he thought back to the brief time he led Team Seven, and recalled how strange exchanges often took place. Instead of prodding further, he decided to change the subject. He cleared his throat and asked Sai, "What happened to your arm?"

This was apparently a hot-button issue. Instead of leading into a nice, calm conversation the intensity of the atmosphere suddenly increased. Yamato tugged at the collar of his shirt, feeling the heat from the outside choke at his throat. And Naruto unloaded the whole incident with Kakashi – going over everything in his version of the events, and then taking time to point out each and every spot where there was once a injury on his body. _Who does that guy think he is, anyway?! We were just out for a friendly spar!! _He rambled on, waved his hands, then slammed them down on the counter. Sai just nodded his head intermittently in agreement and showed off his own battle wounds. He gave Yamato a full explanation on the necessity of each bandage and ointment, and explained the proper way to set a broken arm.

"Then afterwards," Naruto complained. "He didn't even explain _why he stopped us! _The nerve of the guy. What a jackass."

Yamato remained quiet as he took all of the information in – exuding a sort of calm presence. He offered no opinions, but only crossed his arms and held his chin in a thoughtful manner as he reflected his own encounter with Kakashi just the day before. He thought that his less-than-pleasant encounter with the jounin had been an unique occurrence, but now learned that Naruto and Sai went through a similar situation – and suffered more for their experience. He tried to make sense of his senpai's irrational actions, and considered the possibilities. Then suddenly, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Oh… I understand now," the captain said. This went far beyond just over protectiveness.

Naruto leaned forward, and Sai also lifted his head up in interest.

"What is it?!" Naruto demanded.

Yamato glanced back and forth furtively before leaning in, motioning for the other two to get closer.

"Mid-life crisis." The Captain whispered.

"Huh?" Naruto asked. The confusion was clear on his face.

Yamato leaned back with confidence and spoke a little louder. "Mid-life crisis," he explained. "Kakashi-sensei is obviously going through some sort of emotional turmoil. He's probably feeling insecure of his position in life… feeling old… so he interfered with your battle to pit his strength against your own. It makes him feel young again." He patted Naruto on the shoulder. "It's nothing to worry about. This sort of thing happens often to men of Kakashi's age."

"Is Kakashi even that old…?" Sai asked.

His question was completely lost as Naruto interrupted with a shout, "It makes so much sense…!!"

"Yes, it does," Yamato agreed. The tension eased off the captain's shoulders and he became more relaxed, as if some heavy burden had been removed. He offered a half-hearted smile. "I apologize, but I must cut this visit short. I really must go now…"

"Thank you, Captain Yamato!" Naruto called.

Captain Yamato paused and looked over his shoulder. "Remember," he said. "Be kind to your old sensei. Let him know that he's still needed around. Old people need that sometimes." Then the captain left, stepping back out into the heat. Naruto and Sai looked at each other, wondering at this new revelation.

* * *

Kakashi felt the strong and sudden urge to punch Yamato.

The jounin shrugged off the feeling, letting the tension slowly ease away from his body. The desire to do Yamato physical harm had plagued him ever since the night before when he saw him talking with Sakura. Hatake Kakashi never considered himself the jealous, possessive type, but thoughts of battling the idiot Anbu captain – and throwing him into a tree, or perhaps a crater – made him reconsider this emerging aspect of his character.

There were times in the past when Sakura would arrive hand-in-hand with Sasuke at the training ground, eyes only for each other, and then sneak away early after an especially intimate sparring match – but Kakashi only turned a blind eye then. He never felt such a strong desire to lash out and destroy. There was no possessive flare – only the painful feeling in his chest and the knowledge that any chance of being with Sakura was but a distant dream. So, what was with this sudden urgency now…?

Kakashi let out a slow breathe, then turned to the next page of his book. Headband removed – his one eye roamed up and down the text. He was lounging at a small red table, one of the few that had been pushed to the side of the laundromat. Around him the clang and whir of machines filled the air as each washing machine went through a various stage of spin-cycle. Occasionally the heavy thump of a dryer would break through the racket, and add to the metal clamor.

He was the only person in the place at the time, and felt quite at ease as he pulled down his mask and felt the cool air blasting down from the vents above. He took the liberty of removing his long-sleeved shirt earlier (now in the wash), and now only wore the stretchy black shirt underneath. Taking his time, his languidly brought up a hand to take a bite of a popsicle, feeling the cool sweet juice slide down his throat. The owners had conveniently provided vending machines at the front by the waiting area in hopes of luring more money from clientele.

He flipped to another page of his book, enjoying the solitude. There was hardly a soul who waited around in the middle of the week, and often people would drop off loads in the morning and return back later during breaks. In fact, there was one person in particular who was known to follow this habit almost religiously, and always returned back for her load about this exact time…

Kakashi could feel the blast of heat when she opened the door. She was surprised at someone else being around – it was in the way she hesitated before entering. When she walked quickly past to check on her clothes, Kakashi could detect the faint scent of cleanliness that clung to her skin, even beneath the light layer of dust and sweat that came from walking around the village on a dry hot day. Kakashi discreetly glanced up, amongst the scuffed floors and chipped wall paint, he could say without a doubt that Sakura was the prettiest thing in the room.

But he always felt that way.

There was a clang as Sakura lifted up the lid to the washing machine. She quickly glanced back to make sure Kakashi wasn't looking before diving in for her panties. She bent over giving Kakashi – who secretly _was _watching – a good view of her shapely hips and well-toned legs. She repeated this action several times, reaching in and bending over as she transferred the wet clothes into the dryer nearby. There was a jangle of coins as she took them out of her pocket and entered them into the coin slot, and then the whir as the dryer kicked into gear. There was some more scuffling, footsteps, and then a scrape as she pulled out the chair directly across from the table.

Sakura settled down with a thump.

"I've never seen you around the here before, Kakashi-sensei." She was doing a magnificent job of boring a hole through his head.

That's because he had a washing machine and dryer at his apartment. But he didn't feel the need to tell her that.

He lowered his book and saw that green eyes were wide with curiosity. She was eyeing him as if he was some mythical creature or strange anomaly. He supposed that she wouldn't be used to seeing him without his headband and long-sleeves… or lounging around at the local laundromat. Her head was tilted slightly to the side and small smile covered her lips. Kakashi could feel his lips tug up in response. The soft feelings were back again, and whispering suggestions in his mind. It was telling him to reach out and brush away the strands of pink hair from her face. To smile and tell her how beautiful she looked. But the last time he gave into one of these suggestions he got carried away.

Kakashi remembered how Sakura had looked up at him with wide disbelieving eyes, and how she didn't tell him 'goodbye' after he stroked his fingers through her hair. Sakura may have forgotten and let the small incident slip away beneath a mountain of other worries and distractions, but the memory was still fresh on Kakashi's mind. So, he ignored the whispers of his heart.

He took a bite of his popsicle instead, noting the way Sakura's eyes followed his movement.

"Everyone washes clothes," he said vaguely. Sakura didn't respond, but she was still staring at him, as if she couldn't imagine that even Copy-nins might like to enjoy cold treats on a hot day. Kakashi lowered the book completely at that thought, laying it flat on the table, and tilted the popsicle towards Sakura.

"Want it…?" he asked.

She was looking at him as if he had gone mad.

"But you've already taken a bite of it," she said. Her voice was faint.

Personally, Kakashi found no problem with this.

"We've already shared water canteens on missions," he said reasonably. "It's not like we haven't swapped spit before. Here… take it."

It didn't sound very appealing when he put it that way. In fact, it sounded a little… suggestive. But Sakura wasn't going to deny the fact that she felt hot. After talking with Hinata she had wandered the streets, dazed by the encounter, before remembering that she still had a life to live, a load of laundry in the wash, and a list of other chores to complete. She had gone all day without any water, and it didn't take a medic to know that _that_ wasn't a very good idea. Sitting beneath the blasting vent was simply heaven, and the laundromat was proving to be her oasis in the desert. There was interesting company to help her pass the time as she waited for her clothes, and now, she was being offered a sweet cool treat to relieve her dry mouth.

Sakura was on the verge of caving. "What flavor is it?"

"Lemon," he said, then waved the popsicle enticingly in front of her face. It was the same way he would offer her food on missions, _knowing _that she hadn't eaten, but didn't have the heart to make her find her own.

Lemon. That sealed the deal. Sakura reached out with a tentative hand. For a brief moment, her fingers brushed against his, and Sakura took note of the fact that he wasn't wearing any gloves. For some reason, seeing his bare hands was almost as fascinating as seeing his bare face, and feeling them against her own hand was… different. She gently brought the popsicle up to her mouth and nibbled at the treat, choosing a spot away from the part Kakashi already bit down. The citrusy taste blasted in her mouth, and the cool ice melted on her tongue. Sakura took another bite, no longer minding where she chomped down. She found herself relaxing, and the worries of the day slipped away.

"Hey, sensei," she said, "you're a man, right?"

Kakashi's eye flickered from the lowered zipper of Sakura's vest to her face. "Yes."

"Then you can tell me how men think."

It took Kakashi a moment to respond, as he now found himself rather focused on the way Sakura was licking away at the melting popsicle. Perhaps giving her that thing had been a mistake. A big mistake. One scarred eye slid open, watching in fascination as her pink tongue darted out to capture the escaping drops. A small piece of flesh against soft lips, reaching out against the icy treat.

Kakashi slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He brought up two arms – lean but well-defined – and folded them on the table. A dark tattoo, the mark of his former Anbu days became visible on his left shoulder. For a moment his silvery hair fell over the top of his lowered face and he took on the appearance of someone almost unrecognizable. Someone younger, more intense, and who had serious things on his mind.

There was a tenseness about his shoulders and the languid attitude that usually surrounded him had all but evaporated. It was surprising how different he appeared when stripped down of the usual clothing, and without the markers that had essentially become part of his character over the years. But this intense atmosphere lasted for a brief second, and disappeared the moment he opened his eyes and regarded the girl across the table with a cool mismatched gaze.

"I suppose…it depends on the topic," he said.

Sakura paused from her activity. Pink tongue disappeared between parted lips. "_Good_. Because I need advice about dating."

Oh, it was going to be one of _those_ discussions. Kakashi had a sudden sense of déjà-vu as someone a few day ago asked for his advice on the very same topic.

"Mm," Kakashi made a noncommittal noise. He began examining the scratches on the table – anything to take his attention away from _her _– and absently ran a finger down the marks. He saw this discussion having the potential of leading to something _really good_, or something _really bad_. It would take skill to steer it towards the direction he wanted. Things were not the same as all those years back when he was just a sensei and she was just his student.

Back then things were very easy, and he was only required to listen as his genin student prattled on about love. He would read his book and nod his head every now and then to show that he was listening while her young voice rambled on about the latest things that sent her heart in a tizzy. Kakashi never understood why she chose to unleash all of her secrets and wishful thoughts on him, but was only grateful because he took it as a sign of trust, and trust was absolutely essential for teamwork.

Needless to say, things were no longer so simple.

Sakura must have been thinking along the same lines because she suddenly blushed as if she remembered her more childish words. There was nothing to be embarrassed about, Kakashi wanted to tell her, but she probably would get defensive. She would feel more offended than comforted. A few years ago Kakashi might have agreed in thinking that such naïve thoughts of 'love' were all nonsense and taken on a more jaded, cynical view (despite secretly being a romantic himself). But now he only regretted not listening to her innocent words more closely back then, because some of the things he had experienced over the past year came dangerously close to the things Sakura once described in her ramblings.

For instance, the way Sakura blushed just now… and how his heart gave painful squeeze, came very close to the things Sakura once mentioned in her sappy talks of love. And for a moment, Kakashi was no longer in sitting at a table in a laundromat with the sound of clanking machines in the background, but he was instead transported back to the night of the moon-viewing festival. He was looking down at his former student, with the full moon and fireworks in the sky, and realizing for the first time… that he liked the way she smiled.

The blush quickly faded away from Sakura's cheeks, and she charged ahead, not to be dissuaded. "This is important, sensei! I need to know if all men are jerks or if there are a still a few decent ones left around. I need to know how men think, what they look for in a girl, and what their motives are, because this will determine if I start dating again."

_Oh, this was important then._ Basically, this would determine if Sakura would take up other guys in the future? He would squash that possibility real quick.

"All men are jerks," Kakashi said simply. "They're selfish pigs and none of them deserve you."

Sakura's face fell. "Oh, I see. Then I guess there really is no use in dating."

"None at all," he agreed.

"So, _all _of them are pigs?"

"All of them."

She gave a sigh. "That's what I thought. Then that settles it. I won't risk my heart ever again." Sakura rested her head in her hand in a resigned way. Then continued licking away at the popsicle, as if that was all there was to the matter.

_Wait a minute. This wasn't going the direction he wanted… time to backtrack._

"Of course, there _are_ a few decent guys in the world…"

"It's okay, Kakashi-sensei. You don't have to say things to cheer me up. I already suspected it would be this way."

She suspected that all men were pigs and not to be trusted ever? Kakashi was just exaggerating. He wanted to eliminate the threat of Sakura becoming swept away by some other guy – which in a village of young, fit males, was a very likely potential. But it would appear that Sakura had gone over the edge. She was already guarded, and his words only encouraged her to set her defenses higher. Not only was she suspicious of other men, but she took his every word denouncing them to heart. He wanted her to be cautious, but to cut herself off so completely… and to never be willing to take another chance… seemed extreme even to Kakashi. It was something he would never wish for any person, let alone his former student. Kakashi felt a small stab of guilt.

He reached out for her hand. His palm was extra sensitive without the glove, and he was aware of the smooth, silky texture of her skin. Her green eyes snapped up to his.

"Sakura, I was only joking."

He hoped to offer comfort, but Sakura was not searching for comfort. She did not need comfort, because she was not distressed. In fact she looked fairly unconcerned as she slouched down on the other side of the table – perhaps a little thrown off that he had his hand over hers – but other than that… listless. As if she wasn't hurt by a breakup from just a week before. As if she didn't just make the decision to cloister herself off for the rest of her life. As if none of it mattered. Here was the girl that Kakashi only knew as lively and spirited in the past, and who made it her life's mission to make _everything _her business. Now she only looked on with calm, accepting eyes. Apathy did not suit her. She made the decision to give up far too easily, and the fact didn't settle well with Kakashi.

"_Some _men are okay," he said. "It's a matter of picking them apart from the dregs. It's all in how you choose your dates."

Sakura took on keen interest.

"You're talking about setting standards," she said.

"Right."

"Then tell me… what sort of things should I look for in a guy?" She leaned forward. Kakashi became painfully aware of her lowered neckline, and the fact that his hand still covered hers. He smoothly withdrew his hand and held it up to his chin, and shifted his gaze upward in a thoughtful pose. Sakura waited with bated breath.

"Well, he should _at least _be a jounin," he said.

Sakura was skeptical. Whatever she was expecting, it wasn't that.

"Why?" she asked. Her eyebrows pointed down in confusion. She was always under the impression that things such as ranks and titles didn't matter in love.

"He's more likely to be mature that way…" Kakashi explained. The fact that Naruto and Sai were _not_ jounin also played a factor in his answer. But he kept this last part to himself.

"Oh… right," Sakura agreed. Now it made sense.

"Let's see… he should also know a lot of jutsu."

Sakura was once again surprised. "Is that really important?" Apparently she never considered such a thing before.

"Oh, yes. Very important," Kakashi said. He pinned her down with a serious look. "You're a high-class kunoichi who deserves a high-class sort of guy. Standards, Sakura, you need to set _standards_."

Sakura thought this over and chewed her lip in a worrying sort of way. Kakashi's list of standards drastically narrowed down the list available men. Unknown to Sakura, that was exactly the point. "Right…" she muttered.

"The more jutsu he knows, the better." In his personal opinion, no less than a thousand justsu would be suitable.

"Men and women really do think differently," Sakura mused. "If I were talking to Ino, she would have mentioned other qualities by now. Such as the guy being really hot, or rich, or handsome…and, uh… really, really hot."

Kakashi waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "If you're worried about looks, then worry about height. Make sure he's taller than you."

"Huh?"

"Genetics," Kakashi explained. "Honestly, you have to think of the children."

Did she really? What did height have to do with anything? Sakura gave an embarrassed sort of flush than settled back down. She was a quick learner, and it was not often that she was left puzzled over a new lesson, but all of this new – seemingly random – information was throwing her for a loop. She struggled to string Kakashi's loosely based explanations together in her mind. "So, basically…" she said slowly. "You're saying that I need to find a guy who's a jounin… knows a lot of jutsu… and is taller than me."

"Mm-hm," Kakashi agreed. He leaned back and crossed his arms. He could almost see the thoughts running through Sakura's eyes. Her lips was tugged down in a frown and her brow was stitched together in puzzlement as she ran through the list of possible candidates in the village who fell under these new standards. She looked adorable like that. Strands of pink hair had fallen in her face again and Kakashi felt the strong urge to brush them away, but he kept his hands firmly linked to his arms. She was regarding him now, her green eyes were focused on his unmasked face. Except instead of looking at him, it was as if she was looking _through _him.

She was not seeing at all… she could not see the most obvious possibility sitting across the table. But she was a smart girl. She would figure it out soon. And when she did… would she be amused or angry? He half-expected her puzzled look to switch over to anger at any moment, and for her to raise an accusing finger and to unveil his selfish scheme. He stiffened in anticipation, waiting for the barrage of words to unfold. Perhaps if he just waited a few seconds longer…

The tumbling of machines came to a halt, and the dryers ended all movement with a quiet, "ss_shhhhhhhhhhh…."_ A small whisper that silenced all thought.

The loud beeping of the timer soon followed.

Sakura jumped up from her seat and went for her clothes. Where she was once motionless, she came to life and bounded for the dryer, throwing the door open with a _clang._ Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck in a rueful manner, both grateful and exasperated by the interruption. He supposed that his clothes would have finished a long time ago, but he had ignored the timer in favor of having a conversation with Sakura.

They were probably all wrinkled by now, and it would be best to let them dry a little longer. But instead of getting up, he remained in his seat, finding that he had no motivation to move. It was as if all of his energy had been zapped away. He could only will his hands to pick up the book on the table. Defenses were back up, and he read over the text while discreetly looking up to catch glimpses of Sakura's underwear as she stuffed them into her clothes bag.

In a few moments, Sakura was standing next to him, bag in hand. Kakashi was painfully aware of her presence. She was waiting for him to look up, but Kakashi refused to tear his glance away from the book, on principle that Sakura was too close for comfort. There was no longer a table separating their bodies. And if he looked up; placed his book down; or if Sakura continued to stand there, filling his senses with her presence; then he was likely to do something that he would surely regret…

"Kakashi-sensei," she said. "Thank you for the advice."

Kakashi tightened his fingers around the book. "Sure. No problem."

"A lot of it was weird and didn't make sense," Sakura dead-panned. "But—"

She leaned forward a pressed a kiss to Kakashi's cheek. It was soft and warm, and caught Kakashi completely off guard. The only warning he had was the color of pink growing at an alarming rate in his peripheral vision before lips made contact against his bare cheek. Her clean scent filled his awareness – all thoughts were knocked out of his mind, his heart rate sped up, and he could feel his head going into a daze. But it only lasted for a moment, and Sakura withdrew, taking away her warmth and soft presence.

By god, this girl was a walking hazard. Did she have any idea what she did to him?

"…but I appreciate it," she finished.

Kakashi tried to not look too surprised as he regarded his former student with a cool mismatched gaze. She was giving him that wonderful smile he so loved, and lifting up a hand to wave goodbye. A pretty blush dusted her cheeks.

"Bye, sensei! I'll be sure to follow your advice."

The next moment, she was gone. A blast of warmth from the door… and then nothing. Kakashi slowly raised a hand to his cheek, still feeling her breathe tingle against his skin.

She was going to go out there now, follow his advice, and look for a man that fit his descriptions, completely ignoring the fact that Kakashi meant to set himself as the standard. So brilliant… and yet so oblivious. Despite it all, Kakashi found himself already missing that wonderful smile. And when there was another pang of longing in his chest, he knew without a doubt… this girl would be the death of him.

* * *

_A/N: Oh, will the heartache ever end? Perhaps. But not anytime soon! So buckle up and enjoy the ride. The next chapter is called… Born Loser. There will be a lot of excitement in this next chapter… so look forward to it!_

_In all of the excitement, don't forget to… REVIEW! I just love hearing your comments. *hands out pinwheels* _


	7. Born Loser

A/N: Sorry I'm late… but I got lost on the road of life.

!!! XD

Gah! But seriously, I do apologize for the delay. *falls on hands and knees*

* * *

**Winner Takes All**

_Chapter Seven : Born Loser_

* * *

_For you I gamble everything,_

_And mix it with the sin._

_For that smile and crooked heart,_

_I burn and burn again._

* * *

Someone was singing outside her window.

It was a horrible sound that drifted in and out of her consciousness, and buzzed about her ear like a noisy bug. Sakura slowly rolled over and waved a sleepy hand about her head in an attempt to chase it away.

When slapping around her pillows didn't work – and neither did knocking the alarm clock off her nightstand – she reached down and pulled the covers over head. The barriers of blankets stifled out the sound and she became surrounded by an instant dark. She was like a caterpillar safely wrapped in a cocoon. The blankets blocked out all of her senses, save for the very soft sensation of her breath against the sheets. Feeling snug and secure, it was not long before Sakura drifted back to a peaceful slumber. The noise outside forgotten.

Behind closed eyes, Sakura did not dream of eating sweet dango or of sneaking away from the Hokage's office, nor of bright flower shops, nor of lush training fields. Instead, her dreams took a different turn and went somewhere even further, summoning up the vision of a warm beach on a shore very far away. The humid air caressed her face, and the ocean water lapped at her feet. In the background the call of seagulls filled the sky. As Sakura blinked her eyes against the dazzling sand, she realized that she was completely alone.

Sakura had only been to the beach three times in her life. With such limited experience, it was only natural that her dreams would drift back to that first and most memorable time. Her surroundings subtly changed to take on the form of this old memory. Sakura was no longer alone, but surrounded by a younger, more youthful Team Seven as they approached the beach over rocky crags. They had just completed a mission, and had done so days ahead of the allotted deadline, which Sakura had learned would become the norm for the team that held the Kyuubi container, last Uchiha, famous Copy-nin, and one spirited kunoichi.

With so much free time on their hands, it was decided that they would explore the land and see the ocean before trekking back home. This last idea was especially pushed by Sakura, who was still hyped up from the success of the mission, and thrilled by the prospect of spending some time on the beach. She pleaded and nagged on endlessly, encouraging her teammates to go along with her plan. It was much better than Naruto's lame idea of seeing the strange rock formations that looked like a waterfall, she told them.

Sakura had a vague idea of what to expect from geography lessons back at the Academy, but having nothing to compare to, she didn't _really_ know. After all, Fire country was a landlocked nation, and with civilian parents she never traveled far from home. The only magnificent thing she knew at the time was of Konoha itself. While forests filled with tall trees could be grand and awe-inspiring, Sakura found that they also blocked out the landscape and did not provide much of a view. She never knew that a body of water could be so vast, or deep. Or that the sky could be so blue, or the air so salty. It was not until after this mission that she began to comprehend the vastness of the world outside the village.

Sakura remembered crouching down in the sand that first time, momentarily overwhelmed by the sight of the ocean.

Naruto and Sasuke had already run ahead and were splashing around in the surf. Or rather, Naruto was splashing around while Sasuke stood by idly, trying his best not to seem too enthusiastic about the water, but a tight-lipped smile gave away the fact that he was secretly thrilled. While her teammates fooled around, Sakura became well-acquainted with the shore, _far away _from the crashing waves that looked big enough to swallow up whole buildings and mountains let alone small kunoichis. For once in her life, she had been shocked into silence, and this new feeling of trepidation unnerved Sakura on several new levels.

She was reliving the moment all over again in her dream world. Part of Sakura knew what to expect since it was a memory, and yet her dream-self had no idea. It was like watching a moment of her childhood being replayed on video. She watched as her younger-self mulled around on the shore – with bright pink hair and red vest making a stunning contrast against the sand. Then suddenly Sakura was no longer an observer. Instead, she had merged with her younger-self, and saw the dream-world through the eyes of her memory.

Suddenly, she felt the same feelings, and thought the same thoughts as all those years before. They were on a beach. The waves were terrifying. The openness of the land made her feel vulnerable, and she was gloomy because the trip was not turning out as fun as she imagined it would be. So, while Naruto and Sasuke dived into the foamy surf, she morosely kept her distance and drew meaningless figures in the sand.

There was a crunch of footsteps and two familiar sandals filled her view. Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura watched as a gloved hand reached out for her shoulder to offer comfort, or perhaps to question if she was all right. But then this hand paused, changed course, and reached out for a shell buried in the sand several feet away instead. As this object was lifted into the air, the sand fell away like gritty rain.

Sakura looked up to see Kakashi-sensei standing before her, lightly fingering the edges of the shell. Younger Kakashi looked very much the same as he did in recent times, completely laid-back and at-ease, but perhaps just a touch more mysterious. There was also a strange brush of something else that Sakura did not understand, but would later recognize as his chakra signature in the years to come. The sensation buzzed through her body and tingled from her head to her toes. She could not capture the subtle patterns that made up the unique print of Kakashi's chakra signature. For Sakura, it was just one muffled buzz. Not unpleasant… but very light…very subtle… and tugged at the back of her mind.

Kakashi held the shell out for her to see.

_It's a clam shell, _he said simply.

Sakura snapped her attention back to her sensei. Each word and detail was carved into her mind, and played out vividly in her dream. As he turned it in his palm, Sakura noted the way his silver hair gleamed in the sunlight. Sakura instantly became distracted from her miserable feelings, and listened as her sensei went on to describe the mysterious process of clams turned sand into pearls. _They're tough to open, but_ _once you pry enough, there's always a treasure inside, _he explained, and his low voice lulled in and out of her hearing like a soothing balm.

Impressed, Sakura reached out for the proffered object, ready to crack it open, when a crab scuttled across the ground between them. She squeaked and nearly jerked back in surprise. Kakashi became equally distracted by this scuttling crustacean. Soon he was crouching next to her, shell forgotten, and pointing out the other curious happenings of the beach.

Time passed by this way, and the sky darkened. Naruto and Sasuke continued to the splash around in the distance – both fighting to see who could drown the other first. At one point a flock of seagulls flew by, filling the air with their shrill calls, before scattering away once more. Eventually, enough time passed where the sun had reached the very edges of the water, and had dyed the ocean a dark red. Sakura admired this strange phenomenon from a distance while resting on the shore, and feeling the sand sink around her hands and feet. She had calmed down by this point, but still felt no inclination to approach the surf.

_Are you enjoying the view, sensei? _she asked, tilting her head up to her taller companion. He was sitting beside her, face buried in his book.

_I've seen it all before_. Kakashi replied back smoothly, and turned to the next page, but Sakura suspected he was secretly watching the sky, too. It was one of those rare moments he had his mask down, so that he could breathe in the balmy air and Sakura could see the features of his face. Hard angles and defined lines were made soft by his gentle expression, and a small smile tugged at his lips. Clearly, he was enjoying this moment as much as his genin students. There was more talk, and laughter, and Sakura found herself relaxing. For some reason the jounin seemed more generous with his words than usual, and Sakura became more familiar with her sensei.

He began the conversations, occasionally switching up the topics to keep Sakura entertained, and then gave her hints and encouragements whenever she found own words trailing off. Sometimes, a quiet lull would fall between them, but she found that it to be comfortable. Sakura thought it was nice that she didn't have to carry the discussions for once.

Through these informative talks, Sakura learned that Kakashi had seen the shore no less than 250 times in his life – which to Sakura was simply mind-boggling. She accused him of not being tan, to which he made a vague reply of always being fully clothed. Sakura also learned that Kakashi was something of a master fisherman… he caught his fish every time! But then quickly learned afterwards that his method of fishing involved throwing kunais at the fish rather than actually fishing. _That's not very cool, sensei, _she told him, to which he shrugged in response.

He had a good sense of direction, but hated sailing.

He could also swim, but refused to give her a demonstration.

And he didn't think sunsets were very romantic – for which, Sakura quickly berated him and went off on a passionate discourse in defense of the romantic settings of sunsets. _You know nothing about romance! _she told him. Kakashi didn't argue, but merely shrugged again and turned to the next page of his book.

In the end, Kakashi managed to save his falling reputation by pulling off a stunt that impressed his critical female student. _Are you really just going to sit and read, sensei? _she asked. _Why don't you do something more beach-like? _She sat with her hands wrapped around her knees, and stared him down with an accusing glare, completely ignoring the fact that she, too, was not doing anything beach-like. Lowering his book in response, Kakashi paused thoughtfully for a moment. Then reaching out, he smoothly grabbed the nearest stone and flung it towards the water. Sakura watched as it soared through the air in a graceful arch, and expected it to land with a huge splash.

Instead, it hurtled forward at an impossible speed and velocity, and skidded across the waters with an impressive fifteen skips before sinking out of sight. How he managed to pull off that marvel, Sakura never figured out. _How did you get it to skip past the waves?! _she asked incredulous, _It wasn't even at a right angle! It should have been impossible!_ but Kakashi only pulled his book back up with a mysterious smile. All of a sudden, he was no longer so talkative.

In retrospect, he probably just used chakra and an insane amount of skill, but younger Sakura couldn't even begin to figure out this conundrum. So, she puzzled over this problem and pestered her sensei the rest of the night, declaring that unless he revealed his secret, she would never leave him alone.

He never revealed his secret.

Sakura stubbornly stayed by his side.

_So, you think sunsets are romantic, huh? _He said, attempting to bring back conversation. The sky was a bright red. Sasuke was drowning Naruto in the distance.

_You're not going to distract me so easily, _Sakura replied. _I'm not that easy to win over. _She crossed her arms and sulked, put off by the fact that her sensei would not teach her the trick of skipping rocks over waves. Amused, he lowered his book. A soft smile tugged at his lips.

Sakura's gaze settled on those lips. With her sensei's face exposed, Sakura could not help the way her eyes traced along the smooth lines of his face, and then up and down the interesting scar that bisected his left eye. Sakura had never the scar so up-close before, as he usually kept it covered by his headband. It was fascinating. She didn't want any detail to slip past her notice, and studied his features one by one. Perhaps this is when she began to develop what Tsunade called _medic eyes_.

Sakura was aware of that subtle tingle running through her body, and that faint buzz in the back of her mind.

She was staring. He was talking. She could see his mouth moving, but strangely enough there were no words. No sound. She leaned forward, straining to hear. She couldn't hear his voice. What was he saying? The sand shifted around her hands.

Then he was looking at her in an expectant way, as if waiting for her response. He had that cool detached aura about him as if he didn't care, but deep down Sakura knew that he did care, and whatever he just said was important, and whatever she was going to say back was important. But what did he say? Sakura wanted to answer back, however her throat had tightened up, and it was impossible to move her lips. This wasn't part of her memory, was it?

Suddenly, the moment was shattered by the squall of seagulls.

They fell by the multitudes, flocking down on the beach and covering everything in a messy white. Their shrill cries came back at full force, growing in intensity and filling her senses. The dream shattered apart like glass… until she could no longer piece together the sequence of events, or make sense of what was going on around her. All though she desperately clung for the pieces, she could not hold on. The battle was lost, and this very old memory slipped away.

* * *

Sakura jolted awake, aware that even with her eyes open it was still dark. The last remnants of shock from the dream slowly faded from her system. For a moment, she was confused by the cumbersome warmth and weight that enveloped her body. It wasn't until she lifted her heavy arms that she remembered she was still under the blankets and kicked back the covers. The cold air hit her face.

She was in her room.

The seagulls were still squalling in her head. But they weren't seagulls. Sakura was both horrified and awed by the realization that the noise of her dreams was actually coming from outside her window. There was a _person _outside. The person was singing, but the singing was awful and loud, and rattled through the glass panes. The noise just made her want to curl up and hide back under the covers… or just die. It was worse than the dying screams of enemy nin… worse than the cries of babies in the maternity ward… and worse than the shouts of Tsunade as she rampaged through her office on a bad day.

She leapt from the bed, irritated by this rude awakening, and made her way to the window, ready to give this trespasser a shrewd piece of her mind. Smooth legs moved across the floor beneath loose shorts. Her tank top and shorts did not reveal anymore skin than her day clothes, but with less layers there was a subtle way to how they wrapped about her curves. As she approached the indistinguishable noise outside became clips and phrases, but she was still unable to distinguish the words. She blinked several times to brush the sleep away.

Sakura's own singing voice was non-existent, but she was certain that if she were to open her mouth and croak her favorite folk-song, it wouldn't be nearly as obnoxious. She wouldn't be surprised if the whole neighborhood was alerted to this noise by now. Complaints would be sent to the Hokage's office today, no doubt about it.

Sakura paused and listened to the words.

"_Oh, Sakuraaa… Love is eternal, and I would lo-o-ove you foreveeer…"_

Oh dear god. The singing was meant for her.

Irritation turned into mortification and Sakura dashed across the room, anger forgotten, and reached out for the clasp. The window pane halted and shuttered in resistance before she slammed it open. "_Naruto!_"

The young man looked up. A slow look of delight crossed the blonde boy's face as he stretched out his arms. "Sakura!" he called out. His voice was equally enthusiastic, but for reason's different than her own.

"Naruto…" she ground out. Sakura held the windowsill in a tight grip as she leaned out. The only thing stopping her from leaping down and strangling his neck was the fact that she was not properly dressed. Even when irritated, she still remained some sense of propriety. Or just an incredible amount of self-consciousness. She tucked a pink strand of hair behind her ear and eyed the neighboring houses in a paranoid sort of way.

"Oh, Sakura…" Naruto let her name fall from his lips with a soft sigh, like a love-struck puppy. There was a look of complete adoration on his face.

It was almost frightful.

Sakura fought off a feeling of horror and dread. She should have known her blonde teammate would be back to reclaim her heart – even if it meant resorting to the worst, and most idiotic method in the process. If nothing else, Naruto was the very definition of determination. He had a way of wearing down friends and enemies alike, exhausting them in conversation with his words and bombastic energy. There was something almost magical about the way he plowed straight through obstacles, and pulled off stunts that sometimes bordered on the miraculous. Sakura had witnessed many a bad-guy turn ally from merely being in Naruto's proximity for a good several minutes.

With that being said, Sakura didn't really stand a chance.

It was infuriating. Sakura could curse his name, issue death threats and warnings, kick him down and punch him in the face, but he would always return the next day just as eager and fresh as before. Naruto saw Sakura's fervent refusals as a part of her independent and fiery nature. It only encouraged him to try harder to win over her affections. His advances and her rejections had become a vicious cycle that would never end until one of them gave in, and Sakura had a strange suspicion it wouldn't be the boy at her window. Naruto was already willing to completely devote himself to her. He was willing to forget his own needs and do anything to make her happy.

However, Sakura was not ready to do the same.

Devotion of this level deserved another of the same kind. Naruto deserved someone who shared his dreams, and who could return his kindness with affection – and not with punches and cursing. Naruto deserved someone who was kind, gentle… and infinitely patient. Someone who defined the very principles of harmony and balance, and who could center Naruto's unfocused thoughts. To Sakura's knowledge, there only was one person in all of existence who could possibly fit that description.

Now if only she could make him see that…

Taking a deep breath, Sakura did her best to return Naruto's look of adoration with a tight smile. She forced herself to relax. Then lifting a hand, she rigidly motioned for Naruto to come closer.

The blonde boy was only too eager to comply. His blue eyes widened, as if he couldn't quite believe he was being invited up so easily. Then he flashed a big fox-like grin. Even in the early hours of the morning, the raw energy that followed Naruto everywhere could not be suppressed. It was almost disgusting the way he moved about so easily and with so much eagerness while Sakura struggled just to keep her eyes open. He nearly leaped up from his spot on the lawn and made a jog for her house. Each step scattered the dew on the grass. Her bedroom window was on the second floor, but this seemed to be of little consequence as Naruto simply used chakra to climb his way up.

Sakura watched as he worked his way to her window, both grateful and peeved that he didn't use the front door. Perhaps he thought it would be more romantic this way? There would probably be footprints on the side of the house now. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited.

Soon, they were face-to-face, with Sakura standing comfortably in her room, and Naruto clinging to the outside. The early morning light darkened the features of his face, but did nothing to dim his bright eyes and broad grin. He leaned forward with both arms resting on the window sill, and in a thoughtless motion, Sakura rudely leaned away. Sticking a hand out, she stopped him from actually climbing into the room. He was forced to cling awkwardly on to the ledge but smiled and relaxed all the same.

She put on her best no-nonsense voice. "Look, Naruto, I have something important to tell you."

"That's why you called me up," he agreed happily. "Was it because you liked my singing?"

She was quick to squash that delusion.

"No." Sakura said bluntly. She didn't bother to sugar-coat her word. "You're singing sucks. For the sake of humanity, please don't ever, _ever _sing again. Ever."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck in a sheepish manner, daring to take one hand off his support. "Well, geez… you didn't have to say it like that…"

Oh, yes. She did.

With that obligation out of the way, Sakura charged ahead to the most important topic. She blinked, feeling a little more awake now. Her green eyes held that dim glow. "Naruto…" she said. There was urgency in her tone.

Naruto lifted his head, sensing Sakura's change in mood. He suddenly became hushed and respectful. "What is it, Sakura…?"

"I don't like you," she deadpanned. "So, stop this ridiculous courtship nonsense." Naruto leaned forward, ready to protest and declare his undying love when Sakura gently pressed a finger to his lips. "No, listen to me… I'm being very serious this time."

Naruto froze at her touch, thrilled by the fact that Sakura was touching his lips, and found himself unable to even breath. He daren't say a word. On the other hand, Sakura was thinking of something else entirely, deciding that now would be a good time to get rid of this enthusiastic devotee once and for all. For both of their sakes, and there was only one thing that would accomplish this task. It was not by throwing a hard punch or by spitting out curse words that she landed the next blow, but rather by using very soft words.

"Hinata likes you."

That's when Naruto lost his grip. His strength never was in chakra-control, anyway. That combined with the fact that Naruto had been holding his breath and was just a recipe for disaster. Sakura could feel the moment the warmth of his lips pulled away and only caught a brief glimpse at the shock on his face before he disappeared completely from view. Naruto never stood a chance against the forces of gravity, and it was with a great deal of alarm that Sakura heard him hit the ground with a sound _thump._

Sakura felt a stab of guilt. She probably could have grabbed him, and thinking about it now… she probably could have chosen a better time to say tell him the news, too. As Sakura leaned out of the window, she caught a glimpse of Naruto's orange form sprawled out face-down on the grass. He wasn't moving. Not even a little bit. From her vast experience of causing Naruto detrimental harm, Sakura knew that he should _at least _have been twitching in pain. For a moment she panicked and considered running outside to help her fallen teammate, but she only made it three steps towards the door before she heard scrambling noises outside. She turned around, just in time to see him reappear at the window.

"_W-w-what?!_" he shouted. He was breathing hard and clinging to the ledge. His blue eyes were wide and his body was taut with energy. Other than the marks on his face, it was as if he had never fallen at all.

Sakura was filled with relief. "Oh, good…" she said. "You're still alive."

"S-Sakura! It was so strange! For a moment I blanked out and thought you said that Hinata liked me…! You were standing there and I was over here, and then I was falling and you were reaching out, and –"

"It wasn't a delusion," Sakura said. "All of that really happened just now."

"B-but, but… but…"

"And Hinata doesn't just _like_ you," she corrected, "Hinata _loves _you."

All the color had drained from his face, and Sakura recognized her teammate was going through the first stages of shock. It was like studying the pictures in her medical textbooks all over again. Obviously, the thought that Naruto could like someone other than Sakura had never crossed his mind before, and now the revelation was breaking his brain. Naruto held his mouth open as he wordlessly tried to work through this strange and outlandish notion.

All the while, Sakura couldn't help but feel faintly satisfied. "It's not easy being chased after by another, is it?" she asked, then patted his arm in a reassuring way.

Then Naruto's brain jumped back into action – which was just about as quick as a moving snail.

"I don't… I-I don't…" He stuttered in a way very reminiscent of the Hyuuga heiress.

Then he snapped back up, as if someone splashed him with cold water.

"OH MY GOD!!" he shouted. "I need to go talk to Hinata…!!"

Well, that was easy. Sakura could feel her teammate's energy kicking back to full gear. He was all tensed up now and raring to go. Still, she couldn't help but feel a little peeved. Couldn't he have struggled more, or thought about it a little bit longer before completely switching his devotions over so completely to another girl?

"Wow. You're the real devoted type, aren't you?" She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She didn't mean to sound so harsh. Especially, when things were going the way she wanted.

But Naruto looked guilty, and suddenly cowered back like a dog slapped on the nose. "Sorry, Sakura! I didn't mean to upset you," he said, doing his best to placate her. "I know you're really disappointed and stuff because deep down you really like me, but…ack–!!"

Sakura violently grabbed him by the front of his jacket, and shook him back and forth. "YOU IDIOT! _I don't like you!_ Get that through your thick skull!" she continued to shake him a few more times for good measure before stopping, flushed and out of breathe. "But if _you_ like Hinata then don't just stay here… go to her!" she pointed to a random spot in the distance. "Go! Quick! Speak with her before she meets up with Sasuke again…!!"

Naruto willed for his teeth to stop rattling. "_Sasuke?!_ What's he got to do with anything…?"

"Hinata and Sasuke are engaged." Sakura said. At those words, a tight sensation eased up from her throat. It was like getting a confession off her chest. Despite the unpleasant subject, she could feel her heart become lighter with each passing moment. Surely, she was doing the right thing by telling Naruto, right? "They're getting married in a couple months due to an arrangement, but Hinata doesn't like Sasuke, and Sasuke doesn't like Hinata. He's just using her to get into the clan, because he has some strange obsessed notion about preserving bloodlines."

Naruto's mouth fell agape. Unbelievable_._ But it wasn't the shocking explanation that sparked his indignation. His mind was still caught on the mention of Sasuke_. _Unbelievable! First Sakura, and now Hinata. Why did Sasuke always get the girls he wanted?"That_ BASTARD – !!"_

"That's right, Naruto!" Sakura encouraged, and let go of his shirt, switching from mean to sweet in an instant. She began smoothing out his collar. "Hinata told me _everything _that was going on, and I can personally attest to the part about Sasuke. Hinata said that if her father knew the truth then he would naturally break off the arrangement, but she's having trouble working up the courage, and Sasuke's pressuring her into the marriage…"

Naruto building up into a fine rage now. "I knew something strange going on! Sasuke's been missing a lot of training lately, and that pansy-ass never misses training unless something strange is going on…"

Sakura kindly withheld the fact that these strange things had been going on for over a year, and not just this past week. "Right…" she said weakly.

"That's it!" Naruto said, full of determination. "I'm going to talk to Hinata…and if I see Sasuke…" he punched his hand. "I'm going to smash his stupid face to pieces. Just like that time I dragged him back to the village!" He wobbled back and forth dangerously, and Sakura quickly grabbed his arm to stop him from falling again.

"Feel free to mix up the order of events," Sakura replied evenly.

But Naruto didn't hear her. In true Naruto-fashion, he had already run off to save the day. Surprised, Sakura discovered that the sleeve she had been gripping was no longer in her hands. She watched as Naruto's bright orange figure disappeared into the distance. The whiplash of air from his sudden departure hit her face.

Sakura leaned against the window then, feeling exhausted, and she rested her chin into her hand. At the same time she felt rather content. For some reason the thought of Naruto and Hinata being together left her deeply satisfied. And it was not just the fact that she finally managed to dump Naruto on to someone else.

She pondered over the time Hinata and Naruto would share together, and their happiness, and as she thought of these things, she felt a strange feeling in her heart. After a long moment of consideration she decided this feeling must have been what they called affection.

Sakura did not know it was actually longing.

So, as she leaned forward and traced her finger along the window sill in a lazy pattern, and congratulated herself on being such a good person, who did such good things – she did not realize that this action was very similar to the way she once drew meaningless figures in the sand, in a memory very long ago.

* * *

On the other side of town, Kakashi pondered the morality of kidnapping and murder.

In all likelihood… they were very immoral.

However, he continued to entertain these dangerous thoughts in his mind. It was entertaining, because it allowed him to play out the possibility of certain events taking place in the future. It was dangerous, because Hatake Kakashi was the sort of man who could actually make these events happen. Just exactly who he wanted to kidnap, and who he wanted to kill was unclear… even to himself.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck then leaned back against the rooftop, deciding to switch his thoughts to less harmful subject matters. For a while, he considered the boy at the building below.

A boy with dark hair and pale face sat on the steps of the Konoha Public Library. It was Sai, passing the time by painting the latest thing that had caught his attention. He favored his bandaged arm as he hunched forward to complete his work. Adding a line here, and smudging there, and then occasionally switching between different art supplies.

Kakashi could never understand the appeal of painting, but then again, he never really painted. Not even finger-painting. After all, little genius prodigy shinobi had no time to mess with such childish things.

No, he was an artist of a different sort, and relied on hand-seals and kunais, rather than pencils or paint-brushes. Sometimes blood and colorful bruises became part of the craft, but more often than not, it was the actual execution of techniques that Kakashi considered his art. Each punch and kick, and smooth movement of his body belied his immense skill. He was masterful in his work, and all who watched were always left in awe… or unconscious… or just dead... However a person had to be quick to catch Kakashi in action, as now days he preferred to finish off his enemies as quickly and quietly as possible.

There was once a time when he reveled in combat. He was young and hot-blooded, and his hunger for battle was insatiable. It was the reason why he joined Anbu in the first place. The rush from fighting and clang of metal would always bring his blood to a sweet simmer, and he found a satisfaction in executing attacks. Striking fear into the hearts of enemies became one enjoyment, while wrenching respect and admiration from his colleagues was another.

But the passing years had tempered his spirit, and Kakashi dropped from the ranks of black-ops, choosing to trade his Anbu uniform for that of a jounin's instead.

Now he begrudged the thought of taking even a single life, though he was still willing to kill if his village ever called for him to do so. And he no longer saw power as such a great thing. Killing and power… it was all very tiresome, and just thinking about his former self left a bitter taste in his mouth. People did not see his creative side so much anymore, except perhaps when he planned out mission strategies.

Kakashi much preferred finding a quiet spot to read than to give off any ostentatious display of skill. He left the job of showing-off to his younger and more energetic teammates. It seemed that their fighting moves became flashier and more showy with each passing year – with the whole splitting the earth open, and making giant wind-blades, and what-not.

Yes, Hatake Kakashi had become very _comfortable _with life. While training Team Seven was a job-and-a-half… Kakashi had learned to be content.

So content, that he no longer took on challenges, and let opportunities slip through his fingers, and spent more time reading than paying attention to his team members, and now… found the world crumbling around him. When did things become so complicated? Perhaps the great karma debt of taking so many lives in the past had finally caught up with him, and decided to unload all at once, because really there was no other way to describe the level confusion and what-the-fuckery that had built up and unraveled over the past year.

And Kakashi was convinced that if he continued to have any more of these sharp pangs in his chest, it would lead to a heart-attack rather than a soulful confession to the one he loved… that is… if he ever decided to confess at all… and he didn't like the way these soft feelings still held him captive or gripped at his heart like a vice whenever he thought of Sakura's lovely green eyes.

Those eyes were staring up at him in the distance. They were not green, but charcoal, and slowly becoming darker as skillful hands set them across the page.

This is why Kakashi lingered on the rooftop of Konoha's Public Library, rather going to the one place he really needed to be. All his plans for the day had just been put on hold.

Sai moved with efficiency as he worked. The jounin would have been impressed if it weren't _Sakura's_ face that the boy was drawing. Although Kakashi was rather fond of Sakura's looks, he could not help but feel a sense of great disquiet as he watched Sai draw each feature from memory.

Was Sai planning to give the picture to Sakura in an attempt to flatter her? Or was he merely sketching to pass the time?

The answer became obvious when Sai chose that exact moment to paint a huge heart around Sakura's face, adding "to Sakura" in bold words at the bottom. After pausing, Sai held the picture out at arm's length, then hunched back down to add a bunch of small hearts all around the drawing.

Yup, it was a threat. Time to intervene. Kakashi smoothly leaped down from the rooftop and landed on the metal railing separating the steps. The moment his feet made contact with the metal rail he crouched down, and his tall form cast a shadow over the boy.

"Her eyebrows usually point down more when she makes an angry face like that." Kakashi said.

Sai did not acknowledge Kakashi's presence other than pausing for a moment looking at his work, and saying, "Ah… you're right." Then carefully went about fixing the mistake. He smudged the edges and added lines, making the angle of Sakura's glower sharper by degrees.

The picture of Sakura's glare did not match up with the large heart encircling her face or the tiny hearts in the background, but perhaps this angry expression of Sakura was the only one that Sai could conjure up in his memories of late.

Sakura was never happy to see him, it would appear.

"How is it now?" Sai asked, holding the picture up with his good arm. Sakura's face glowered up at Kakashi from the paper.

The jounin felt an instinctive clench in his stomach. Even if it was not real, it was pretty realistic. Seeing Sakura's terrifying expression of slanted eyebrows and gritted teeth, even on paper, was enough to set him on edge, and the added hearts just made it sickening.

Perfect.

Sakura would _hate _it.

"Hmm… it's better," the jounin replied.

Sai nodded, satisfied, and began rolling the paper up. He didn't seem to mind that Kakashi was observing his work. Sai grabbed a string from his art supplies and wrapped it around the paper a few times before tying a bow. He was very careful about the knot.

As Sai became lost in this task, Kakashi summoned a nicer picture of Sakura in his mind. An image of Sakura looking up at him with a sweet smile.

At the thought, Kakashi was reminded of the kiss from the laundromat. He could still feel Sakura's soft lips against his cheek, the light pressure of her mouth, and the tingling warmth she left behind. It all happened in but an instant, but the moment played over and over again in his head. It was amazing to think how such a light touch could completely knock away his senses, and a day later still leave him unable to think properly. He had become so focused on this one feeling… this one kiss… this one moment. It was all a sweet sort of madness Kakashi would gladly give his life for.

"I know your secret," Sai said quietly.

Kakashi paused, and a sudden quiet filled his head.

Then a gripping panic.

Yet, the jounin remained very cool as he leaned back, and took his time to casually evaluate the situation.

"I don't what you're talking about," Kakashi said finally. Better to take the safe road first.

Sai blinked slowly.

"There is no need to feel embarrassed," Sai reassured, in a voice that wasn't very reassuring. "Captain Yamato explained everything."

"Did he now…?" Kakashi forced himself to relax. Any mention of that idiot Anbu captain automatically set him on edge, and he fought the sudden compulsion to lash out and punch something very, very hard. Which would have been bad for Sai, who was the closest thing within his vicinity.

"I did some research and confirmed his facts. It would seem that this problem often afflicts men of your age… even the greatest of men."

Sai made it sound as if Kakashi was suffering from some sort of terminal illness, rather than just feelings for his former student – if that was indeed what they were talking about – but in retrospect, the two things were probably not all that different.

"Hmm."

"I still respect you despite your obvious afflictions," Sai told him.

At this, Kakashi made no reply. Sakura's kiss must have addled his brain more than he realized, because frankly, he was finding all of _Sai's _words to be quite cryptic. Or maybe Sai was the who was suffering from the brain damage, and Kakashi exerted more force than he thought he did when he slammed Sai down in the training field. Either way, Kakashi no longer felt any desire to stay around, especially now that his curiosity about the picture had been satisfied. He wondered how quickly he could slip away from the conversation, and scraped his mind for any excuse. He should have stuck to his original plans – which did _not_ involve talking with this strange boy. But he blamed Sakura's face for luring him down…

"Don't worry," Sai told the jounin. "I understand that many people are sensitive about these type of issues. I won't tell anyone. I'll help you keep it a secret." Sai then gave Kakashi an overly-fake smile which he read was a way to demonstrate trustworthiness. He was quite pleased with how well his efforts to comfort the respected jounin were going.

"Uhh…" Kakashi gave him a blank look, and his one visible eye drooped down in an unenthusiastic manner. "Are we talking about what I think we're talking about…?"

"Yes," Sai said. He then looked back and forth discreetly, before leaning in to say in a low voice. "…we're discussing your mid-life crisis."

Kakashi didn't even miss a beat, though his eyebrows quirked up. "Ah…" he said. "_That_."

Sai turned to his pack and began pulling out a book. "According to my research there are several things you can do to help you get through this natural –– "

But Kakashi interrupted. "Captain Yamato was the one who told you about my… uh…. mid-life crisis?" he asked.

Sai slowly nodded his head. "Captain Yamato explained that you were experiencing emotional turmoil and feeling insecure about your position in life. Which is why you feel the need to challenge others in order to re-establish your feelings of self-worth. Being used to positions of leadership you naturally see domination as a way to…"

Sai stopped talking and blinked. The jounin was no longer there. A breeze went by, and rolled his charcoal pencils across the cement steps where they fell and clattered on the other steps below. The metal rail where Kakashi was crouching just seconds before was now completely abandoned, and Sai could see the buildings across the street. For a moment, Sai thought he saw a blur of orange streak across the rooftops, too, but when he blinked again there was nothing there, and Sai thought perhaps he needed to rest his eyes from after sketching for so many hours.

As for Kakashi… well, even Sai didn't need the _Book of Social Interactions _to know that leaving in the middle of a conversation was considered extremely rude and anti-social. Perhaps the jounin was now in a state of denial over his affliction, and thus ran away. It was the most logical conclusion, Sai decided, and moved to pack away his art supplies. As he pondered over the mysterious actions of the great and enigmatic jounin, he wondered if all the older man really needed was just a hug.

* * *

Yamato was having a bad day.

He didn't realize that tracking down Sakura would be so difficult. Especially in the village where they both lived, ate, and slept. There were only so many locations she could possibly be at a given time, and he had yet to run across her path, or even catch sight of her bright pink hair. Either Sakura was extremely active and changed locations compulsively every five minutes, making it impossible for him to pin her down… or there was some location he did not know of where she stayed for long periods of time. Surely, Sakura was not hiding from someone?

It was so strange. It was as if she disappeared completely. He tried searching the more obvious areas she might be first: the Hokage's office, the hospital, the flower shop, the training ground, and market area… even her home, but then resorted to checking spots around the village at random. He was almost desperate enough to use his tracking powers or clones to find her faster, but honestly, he didn't want to come across as being _that _sort of guy. The creepy-stalker-type-ninja who used his powers to track down dates.

Which was very creepy.

An unpleasant shudder ran through Yamato at the thought. He thought that perhaps he might have already crossed that line. When he could not find Sakura at the Hokage's office yesterday, he was disappointed… but did not let the visit go to waste. He was filled with a strange sort of daring, and used the sudden courage to make his way down the corridors and discreetly break into the file room. He was uneasy all the while, but the efforts proved to be well-worth it as he was able to discover some rather interesting facts about Sakura, including the location of her home. From there, he was able to go about his searches more rationally.

But he was not a creeper, he reassured himself. After all, anyone could go about the village in search of Sakura, right? People searched for other people every day, and anyone could have broken into the file room, too. If officials were so intent on keeping the file room secure, they would have put more than just some flimsy double bolts, curse jutsus, and explosion tags on the door.

He acknowledged that he might have become _slightly _obsessed in his hunt, but was convinced this was only due to the fact he could not find Sakura the first time around. The tracking instinct inside of him had been triggered, and now he was determined to see the search through until the end. Nothing more than that.

It had nothing to do with how Sakura now occupied his thoughts at night, or how he would have the most intense dreams…

Yamato ran a hand through his hair. The Anbu captain took a deep breath, and then exhaled.

He was losing his head. He needed to focus. If he could just see her one more time, then maybe they could set up a date, and wouldn't have to resort to this desperate hunting. Did he want to make another rounds through the village to check again?

He could not recall a time when finding another person in the village had ever been so difficult before. It was as if his every attempt was being thwarted by some higher power. At the thought, an unpleasant prickle ran down the back of his neck, the same way like when he knew he was being watched by an enemy-nin.

Yamato paused and looked around. The wind rattled the leaves of the trees that lined the road, but other than that… there was no one there. Perhaps, it was his nerves just getting to him. Just a little bit of restlessness.

Or, maybe not.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder, and Yamato gave a jump.

Instead of relaxing as he usually did when greeting someone familiar, Yamato inexorably became very tense. "K-Kakashi-sempai!"

The jounin was watching him with one dark eye. His silver hair fell over the top of his headband covering his features, and with that mask his expression was impossible to read. But if Yamato had to guess, he would say that Kakahsi's expression was a forced one… that of a tight smile. His sempai might have been leaning back casually, but that did not mean it was safe for Yamato to drop his guard. He confirmed this theory when the grip on his shoulder did not relax.

"Ah, good morning," Kakashi said lightly. His eye turned into a happy curve. "Taking a little walk…?"

A creeping nervousness began to overtake the Anbu captain. Yamato did his best not to laugh awkwardly, but it was inevitable that he did. "Hahahaha…Why, yes."

"Well, this _is _a coincidence," Kakashi said cheerfully. "I just happened to be taking a walk, too."

_Hatake Kakashi was a very troubled man, _Yamato reminded himself. _A very troubled man, going through a rough time in his life_. _There is no need to feel afraid. _Despite all this, he could not help but feel greatly disturbed.

Yamato cleared his throat. "The morning air is rather refreshing," he offered.

The grip on Yamato's shoulder suddenly tightened to a painful level. "Is that why you've been circling around the village like a vulture?" Kakashi asked. "To catch some fresh air…?"

Yamato looked the jounin and suddenly had that vision of Kakashi slashing open throats with a raw brutality witnessed only a few times before in his life. Just a glimpse of silver hair over Anbu mask gave away his identity. Kakashi had been cornered by the enemy then, but instead of retreating he had lashed out, and destroyed every single one. Cold and calculating… but brutal. There was blood everywhere, and that was the day Yamato learned to respect the name of Hatake Kakashi. Just remembering the scene filled Yamato with the greatest dread, and a gripping sensation clawed at his throat that made it difficult to swallow.

All at once the pressure lifted from Yamato's shoulders. Kakashi gave Yamato a rough shove, using more force than necessary to push him away. Then the jounin smoothly stuffed his hands in his pockets. The air suddenly became light and free.

"I know what you've been doing," Kakashi said, leaning back in a lazy way.

Yamato stiffened his back, trying his best not to feel intimidated.

"You've been _searching for Sakura_," Kakashi continued. "Even after I told you to stay away from her."

Yamato could feel his own anger beginning to rise. "You're being very overprotective of your former students, sempai. It's almost suspicious how you watch them so closely."

This was apparently the wrong thing to say. Yamato assumed that overprotective sensei didn't like being told they were overprotective, because suddenly that hostility and ominous atmosphere from before returned with a crushing intensity.

When Kakashi stepped forward, Yamato stepped back.

_Hatake Kakashi was a very troubled man, _Yamato reminded himself. _Just troubled. He's reaching that delicate time in his life. There's no need to ––_

"I'm going to say it one last time," Kakashi said coolly. "There will be no more warnings after this one…_stay away from Sakura._" The jounin smoothly turned around. The air crackled from this small movement. "The next time I catch you searching for her… I'll break both of your legs and rip out your tongue."

Yamato didn't rise to the bait, knowing that the jounin was only searching for a fight. He was not used to seeing his sempai so hostile, and the uncharacteristic way he dropped threats was a clear indication to Yamato that something was off about Hatake Kakashi. The Anbu captain could only stand his ground and do his best not to flinch back in wake of the ominous feeling that filled the air. He was all too aware of the hot breeze and the faint chorus of cicadas in the background – the loud whirring of bugs and the crushing intensity that made it difficult to breathe. Yamato wished some passerby would go by in the street to break up the moment, but they were in an isolated area of the village, and as Yamato stood behind staring at his sempai's back, he suddenly felt very alone.

Kakashi turned his head – his face unreadable as he sent one last look over his shoulder, then casually strolled away. Yamato watched as his sempai disappeared into the distance. The air became lighter with each step he placed between them, and when there was a poof of smoke the jounin disappeared completely. All at once the gripping sensation around Yamato's throat eased up, and he gasped in a deep breath, suddenly feeling as if his body was given permission to move again.

Very slowly, he urged his heavy limbs to budge. He un-rooted himself and made his way to the side of the road where he collapsed on the nearest bench. The bench was carved stone with no back, and surrounded by packed dirt and wildflowers that brushed the edges of the seat. His body was nearly trembling from the sudden release of tension. As he sat down, Yamato clenched his fists and pressed down on his legs, willing for his body to stop. The stone felt cool against his heated body, and the sound of leaves overhead was enough to muffle the maddening whir of bugs.

For the first time in his life, Yamato was filled with a great frustration.

On one hand, there was the pretty girl who sent him beckoning glances at the flower shop. She filled his dreams and night, and whenever Yamato thought about these intense fantasies he was overtaken a strange sort of fever. He was restless and eager to search her out, and always felt as if she was just around the corner, just beyond his grasp, and all he needed to do was reach out his in order to touch her. He had never been so distracted from his duties before, and was convinced that he needed to find this girl… he needed to find Sakura at all costs. He would not be able to go on with life again until this deep fever had been quenched.

On the other hand was Hatake Kakashi – his once most respected sempai and a well known jounin to the village. Said man also happened to be the former sensei of said woman Yamato was attempting to find, and a definite road block in his attempt. Kakashi was explicitly _ordering _him not to get close to Sakura. For what reasons, Yamato could hardly begin to fathom other than the well-established theory that Kakashi was going through a difficult time in his life. Yamato blamed it all on Kakashi's major mid-life crisis and burgeoning inferiority complex. He flexed his hands carefully, feeling the skin and bone beneath, knowing that in an instant he could have changed it all to wood, trapped the jounin, and immobilized his chakra.

Yamato could only reason that Kakashi had become aware of these great skills that Yamato possessed, and felt threatened by the Anbu captain's many accomplishments. In order to feel secure, Kakashi always needed to feel superior, thus he felt the need to challenge Yamato at every turn and egg him into a battle. And what was the quickest way to provoke Yamato into a battle? By explicitly telling him to not see Sakura, who of course, Kakashi knew Yamato held interest in.

It made so much sense now. Kakashi was using Sakura as a cover up so he would have a reason to challenge Yamato.

With this dawning realization, Yamato felt a great sense of relief wash over him. Any problem could be reasoned out with enough thought, and fortunately, Yamato was gifted with both brains as well as awesome skills, so figuring out complex motives such as Kakashi's was but child's play to the Anbu captain. There was a reason why he rose through the ranks of Anbu, after all. It was strange to think that his sempai would feel threatened by him, but at the same time there was no denying that Yamato couldn't help but feel faintly satisfied at the thought. To think that he had advanced so far as to intimidate the Copy-nin! He stretched his arms above his head, feeling very content with the world.

A faint giggle caught his attention.

Yamato paused, realizing that he was not so alone as he once thought. Across the road he locked gazes with a young woman who had green eyes and pink hair.

Sakura stood on the opposite side of the road holding a basket in one hand. Her bright red vest stuck out among the surrounding earth tones, and with pink hair Sakura immediately became the most eye-catching thing in the area. The sleeveless red vest she wore revealed the smooth skin of her arms and melded down her body, with just a few wrinkles to cast shadows across the cloth. A wide metal zipper bisected the vest and then jutted out to the side in an interesting pattern that Yamato could not help but wonder would be like to run his fingers along. The zipper was slightly lowered at the very top of the vest to reveal more smooth skin beneath – not enough to show cleavage, but just enough to give a teasing look. On the lower half of her body she wore a simple skirt with buckles with tight black shorts beneath, and then commanding black boots that went up to her knees. There was just another hint of skin between the top of the boots and the bottom of the skirt… and Yamato found his eyes lingering on these bare spots.

Perhaps, his day wasn't going so bad after all.

It took the Anbu captain a moment to realize that the girl he had spent the better part of two days searching for was now standing before him, and watching him with an amused smile.

He was so busy with this realization, that he did not catch the calculating look behind those cool green eyes.

She was approaching him now with that same entrancing smile, and Yamato found himself straightening up just a little bit.

"Do you often visit the back roads?" she asked. In the basket, Yamato caught a glimpse of medicinal herbs that could be found along the footpaths of the Hokage Mountain.

Yamato's lips tugged up into a smile. "Only on days I think I might come across a pretty girl."

Sakura did not blush like he expected she might. Instead she continued to look down with a steady gaze. Her pink hair was tied back by a red headband, he noticed. Those soft pink locks drifted gently against the curve of her face and stirred as she tilted her head.

She was frowning down at him. For some reason she seemed unhappy about the fact he was sitting down. _Did she find a man sitting down, while a girl was standing up rude?_ he wondered. Perhaps Sakura was more of the old fashioned sort, and for some reason the notion intrigued Yamato.

Seeing as Sakura had no intention of sitting down, Yamato graciously rose to his feet. As he towered over the girl, he saw a slow smile spread across her face.

Not being familiar with Sakura's habits, Yamato thought it was unnerving the way her perceptive green eyes ran over his features. But he did not have long to think about this unsettling behavior, as those searching eyes suddenly locked on to his, and that smile from before returned. "Do you know many jutsus?" she asked suddenly. Her smile was a little hesitant and uncertain.

Well, that was certainly an odd question, but Yamato wasn't about to blame Sakura for any strange words that might leave her mouth in a bout of nervousness. He had to give her credit for trying to start a conversation, at least.

"My specialty is in wood-style jutsu, of course, but I do know plenty of earth-style and water-style jutsus as well, which make up the components of wood-style," he replied. He didn't have to think about the answer. It was a question often asked by other curious shinobi.

"And usually only jounins are capable of learning more than one elemental style," Sakura clarified. "Right…?"

"Right." Yamato said.

At those words Sakura's smile broadened, and her eyes took on that mischievous look Yamato recognized from the time she stopped him outside of the flower shop.

Sakura coyly held the basket and her hands behind her back. "I have work today at the Hokage's office," she said. "But I have free time during lunch."

It took a moment for Yamato to realize that he was being offered an opportunity to ask her out. He leaped on the chance. "Ah… would you like to meet for lunch at the Terrace, then?"

Sakura opened her mouth ready to accept.

"No, wait…" Yamato said, suddenly realizing a public place like the Terrace would make him a sitting target for any wayward Copy-nins who wanted to break his legs and rip out his tongue. "How about we meet at the park?"

Sakura nodded. "Sure, that sounds ––"

No, wait… still too public.

Yamato interrupted again. "Ah, I'm sorry… I just thought of something better. Let's meet at the training ground."

"Uhh, okay… that's–"

Hold on, that wasn't good either.

"Wait a minute," he pleaded. "One last change! Let's… have lunch on top of the Hokage Mountain instead."

Sakura's brows pointed down in confusion. "Umm…" she said.

The Anbu captain gave her a reassuring smile, and rubbed the back of his neck. "I just think it would be great to breath in some of that fresh mountain air. Hahahaha… Ah… don't worry. I'll take care of the food… all you need to do is show up."

There was a long moment in which Sakura just stared at him, and Yamato felt decidedly uneasy. As those green eyes pierced through him, it was as if she was re-evaluating the value of his offer. Then Sakura's lips twitched as she managed to pull off a weak smile, and a look of amusement returned to her face. "Okay," she finally agreed. Although she still did not sound nearly as confident as before.

Yamato felt relieved. If he were alone he might have even pumped his fist in the air, but he was not alone, so instead he said, "I'll meet you then." He did his best to sound casual.

"Right." Sakura told the Anbu captain. "I'll see you around noon."

Her face settled back into a more cheerful look, and she lifted her hand in a small wave goodbye. As Yamato watched her walk away, he felt decidedly accomplished. His eyes focused on the way her hips swayed. A feeling of exhilaration rushed through his veins that he did not know was possible to feel outside of battle. He savored this delicious rush, and his thoughts jumped to the various possibilities that might lead from after the luncheon. All at once he was consumed by these possibilities, and little by little his mind drifted off to those darker fantasies that filled his head at night.

He had no way of knowing that he was about to go in way over his head.

* * *

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A/N: Poor sap. He has no idea what's he's getting into, does he? And just who exactly is this Born Loser person anyway? Maybe it will be easier to tell in the next chapter… Longest Day. The pace picks up and stuff gets interesting. Just be careful not to get whiplash from the sudden speed!

As you brace yourself…please don't forget to REVIEW!! I just love hearing all of your comments. I will also do my best to make the next chapter is more prompt. For sure. XD


	8. Longest Day

_A/N: _I apologize for the delay. Thank you for waiting so patiently, everyone. As a reward I put extra love into writing this chapter and filled it full of twists and turns for your reading pleasure. It's a long chaper, so take your time reading. Enjoy!

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Winner Takes All

_Chapter Eight : Longest Day_

_

* * *

_

_This game we play is madness._

_But I will not stop,_

_And you will not stop,_

_Until we've both reached the end._

* * *

The Konoha aviary was a tall tower.

With nine flights of metal stairs spiraling up to the top, and a small decoding station at the bottom. There were no elevators in the tower as it was built some time during the reign of the First Hokage when such convenient technology was scarce. Instead, it was common practice for people back then, and even now, to jutsu their way up to the top floor where the messenger hawks were housed. There was no need to worry over small imperfections of building design for the tower - such as missing elevators. Unless, of course, you were strictly ordered not to use the teleportation jutsu while carrying a heavy bag of letters which were essential not to lose at all cost…

Sakura heaved up the last step, clutching on to the railing for support. Her face flushed and legs aching from the long and drawn-out exertion. Bracing one hand against the wall she leaned forward to rest, sucking in a breath as her pink hair flipped forward into her face. The message bag at her side threatened to drag her down, but Sakura was strong enough to resist the pull, and stood up a little straighter to prevent herself from falling over.

Daring to glance back over her shoulder, Sakura saw how the black metal steps twisted through the air like Konoha's finest abstract art piece, with sections welded down and firmly bolted to the wall. A little bit of rust showed in spots where paint had chipped away, and the stairs groaned and creaked from so many years of disuse, but there was no doubt that the structure would last. Still, Sakura thought it was a little disturbing to see how her feet left prints in the dust. It was clear that she was the only person to use this more primitive method of going up the tower in a long, long time. She wondered if any ninja knew how to climb stairs any more.

She certainly had one heck of a time.

A few letters shifted to the top of the bag which Sakura promptly crushed and jammed back down with a certain fury, not wanting any to slip away and take the long fall down. The idea of chasing them around the spiral steps didn't seem very appealing.

"_Don't lose these," Tsunade had warned her. "They're important letters for the village. I want them shipped out today."_

"_Yes, ma'am," Sakura replied back dutifully with a bob of her head. She couldn't help but notice that said important letters were being used as coasters for Tsunade's teacups. Sakura carefully nudged them away and wiped at the stains on the envelopes._

"_Just take them to the aviary. You know… the place with the birds." Tsunade made a flapping motion with her hands. "And while you're at it… take that bag, too." She jabbed a thumb towards the back of the office. A message bag sat on top of a chair in the corner, with letters spilling out of the top. _

"_With all due respect, shishou," Sakura said, as she stomped the letters down with her foot and forced the bag close. "Couldn't you just send a chuunin for something like this?"_

_It really was such a mundane task._

"_Why would I call for a chuunin when I have an apprentice?" Tsunade asked, quirking an eyebrow. Then the blonde woman suddenly threw her head back with a hearty laugh. "Ha! ha! ha! Oh, man… use a chuunin for these things she says… good one! Ha… ha… Ah…" Then wiping her eyes, Tsunade cleared her throat and slouched back down into her seat. A disgruntled look returned to the woman's face. "But seriously… don't lose those letters."_

Thus, it came to be that Sakura obediently made her way to the tower later that morning, and was very careful not to lose the letters… walking instead of jutsu-ing her way up.

Through the doorway Sakura could hear the faint rustle of feathers, and soft crooning of birds. It had been a long time since she was sent to do a message run like this, or even use the messenger hawks. Yet, everything in the aviary appeared to be just exactly as she remembered it to be before. Simple and unchanged.

It was a wide and spacious room with wooden floors, and perches lining the left side. Small writing stands and cubbies lined the wall on the opposite end. As Sakura stood there she was hit by a strong feeling of nostalgia. She slid the message bag from her shoulder, letting the strap jerk into her arm before letting it drop down.

Outside, Sakura could see the intense blue sky, along with puffy white clouds rolling across. It was a windy day in Konoha, but beautiful all the same. It was almost gorgeous enough to make her forget about the filthy bird-droppings and the stench of animal that filled the room.

A breeze swept through the windows, playfully pushing fallen feathers back and forth across the floor.

Sakura stepped forward crushing the soft downy feathers beneath her feet. The messenger hawks shuffled and flapped their wings restlessly as she passed by. They could see the distinctive message bag at her hip. Perhaps they were keen to soar through the air, and test their strengths against the winds. Faster and stronger than their natural-born counterparts, they were nonetheless bound to the aviary tower until their skills were called upon. Their golden eyes darted back and forth as Sakura reached into the bag for the first letter. Skimming the color coded tags of the perches Sakura matched up the letter to the proper route, then placed it into the carrying pack of the first hawk.

The task was easy enough, but she double checked her work just in case to ensure that no fatal mistakes were made. It would have been disastrous if a letter intended for the Kazekage ended up in a purchasing office in Rain. Sakura was halfway through the bag when she suddenly froze, realizing there was another person in the room. The soft sound of pen scratching against paper caught her attention. It was almost lost in the breeze and rustle of feathers.

Sakura glanced over her shoulder.

She thought it was by strange coincidence that she should meet Hatake Kakashi in the tower that morning.

The jounin stood in the back corner, facing one of the many writing stands posted about the room. His tall form bent over as he jotted out his message, and unruly silver hair brushed down against his headband. Sakura could not see Kakashi's face, but there was a serious air about him as he focused on his writing. Short planks of wood serving as privacy partitions blocked Sakura's view and prevented her from seeing the nature of his message.

It must have been something important for Kakashi to be so serious. Possibly mission work, or straightening out some business transactions. Or perhaps begging the Icha Icha publishing company to move up the release date of the next book. Whatever the case, Sakura did not want to disturb him – _especially_ if he was bothering the publishing company again, and decided it would probably be best to leave her former sensei alone…

She continued on with her task.

The hawks eyed her restlessly as she unclipped the leashes to their collars and set them free. They would take off, one by one as she released them, leaping out through the wide windows. A flurry of mottled wings and scattered feathers. Sakura felt a faint thrum of satisfaction upon watching each bird reel and soar through the sky, battling against the winds before dipping out of sight. There was a sense of freedom in watching them fly away.

She went down the row of perches until there were just a few hawks left.

Kakashi stirred from his spot at the writing stand, and Sakura could feel the moment he began to approach as his chakra brushed against her senses. He smoothly pulled up next to her and began skimming the messenger hawks in a fashion very similar to Sakura, lifting up a finger and the letting out a thoughtful noise before finding the right one.

However, he didn't show the same level of awe and deference to the majestic creatures as Sakura had. Kakashi slapped on the message to the hawk's back, then rudely shoved the bird out the window, ignoring any squawks of indignation as it tumbled through the sky

Apparently, he had a thing against birds.

The messenger hawk fell, and Sakura and Kakashi both watched as it tumbled through the air then struggled to regain balance after such an abrupt take-off… Sakura with wide-eyed shock, and Kakashi with his hands coolly stuffed in his pockets. With a few flaps the hawk became level, and Sakura was glad to see it fly off.

That is until the messenger hawk immediately dipped down and wheeled around in the sky, returning to the window of the tower a few moments later. The bird settled back down on the perch directly in front of Sakura and fixed her with a sharp, attentive gaze.

Sakura stared back blankly for several moments.

"What the hell was that?!" she demanded. She shot an angry look at the tall jounin.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kakashi lied.

It would appear that he was in one of those great, mysterious moods today.

"This message is addressed to _me_." Sakura fumed. She snatched it away from the bird's carrying pack. "You could have just handed it to me instead of going through all that trouble of sending out a hawk."

Kakashi paused thoughtfully for a long moment before tipping his head back. "Ah… but you see, I was already half-way through writing the message when you arrived. So it would have been a waste of previous effort if I stopped right then and handed it to you."

Sakura had already began blocking out his words the moment he said _Ah… but you see,_ knowing whatever followed it would probably be a load of made-up crap. She decided to focus on the letter instead, wondering what could be of such urgency that Kakashi would feel the need send a message to her. The last time he had done so was to summon up Team Seven for an important mission. Were they being sent off for a mission now?

Sakura tore open the letter. However, the contents of the message did nothing to satisfy her curiosity. Instead, her face blanched the palest color, and then darkened into a stormy look. "No, seriously. _What the hell is this?!_"

She thrust the paper under Kakashi's nose, and he leaned back coolly, showing no signs of emotion. It was a sketch of Sakura's angry face outlined in a giant heart. But Kakashi didn't really need to look to know, as he was the one who stole the picture from Sai in the first place.

"I just thought you would like to see it," he replied evenly. "It's a rather fetching image of you."

Sakura crumpled the picture into a tight ball. Tension streaming from her every movement. "I _do not_ look like that," she gritted out. In the mean time, her face turned into a very close imitation of the sketch.

Kakashi felt a shiver run through his spine.

"If it's any consolation," he said. "I wasn't the one who drew that."

Apparently, it wasn't any consolation. Sakura's glower only darkened.

"Sai made the picture," Kakashi continued. "I think it's an expression of his love for you. With that being said… do you think it was really appropriate to crumple it up?"

A cold, cold wind swept through the room.

It could have been Kakashi's imagination, but he could have sworn the shadows about the room were growing larger, and it felt as if the walls were closing in – threatening to swallow him whole. Suddenly, his focus tunneled down to just the young woman before him. He could see the menacing way she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Her eyes narrowed down in thought.

Kakashi had her attention now. Fully and completely on him. It was just the two of them in her little world of anger.

Eruption was imminent.

But damn, if he didn't love it all.

The jounin partially turned his head to the side in a disinterested way, just waiting for the thrashing and onslaught of curse words to unfold. He tensed up, half-expecting to be punched in the chest or arm.

Yet… no hit came. Curious at this lack of violence, Kakashi shot a glance back down at his former student, wondering if something was amiss.

No anger?

No burning hellfire?

Sakura had her arms crossed and was eyeing him in a thoughtful way. Her fingers tapped impatiently across her arm. "You like teasing me, don't you?" she asked.

This made Kakashi pause for a moment before working up a response. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Sakura's lips quirked up into a half-smile. "I know you, sensei. You just like winding me up just to watch me lose my head… I think you get some sort of perverse pleasure out of it."

Oh, how those words could be taken in a different way.

If it were any other time, Kakashi would have smoothly denied those accusations, shrugging his shoulders, or spinning some absurd tale… anything to throw Sakura off his track, but he strangely found himself unable to do so. With Sakura staring at him like that, his words were caught up in his throat.

"I bet I'm right up there with Icha Icha on your list of most amusing things," she said dryly.

While Kakashi quietly thought about this strange, but not entirely untrue comparison – Sakura uncrumpled the paper and took another long look at the sketch.

This time, Kakashi knew she was reading the words he put down in the margins. His handwriting was neat and simple, so it didn't take long to decipher. Yet with the way Sakura analyzed his words made it seem as if she could see something far more into the writing than he ever intended to put down.

It was nerve-wracking to think that she might be able to analyze his thoughts.

"You said, and I quote: '_Watch out for the strange ones. Sai is only in it for the emotions.'_"

"Mm," Kakashi agreed, having nothing else to say.

"Thanks, sensei, but I didn't need your help to figure that one out."

"Even so, I just wanted to make sure my favorite student didn't fall for a sociopathic opportunist," Kakashi said back with a shrug.

"Sociopathic opportunist…?" Sakura didn't seem satisfied with that remark. "Don't you think it's possible that Sai might just like me because I'm so pretty and full of awesome?"

"That's a very different tune from what you were singing last night at the coin laundry," Kakashi commented. His gaze narrowed down at her suspiciously.

Sakura's stuck out her chin uncharacteristic bravado. "Well, it turns out I met someone nice... so I don't need your help after all. In fact I'm meeting him for lunch."

With that she went back shipping off the last letters. Kakashi could only watch in stunned silence as the words sank in.

She already found someone nice…? She was meeting him for lunch?

Kakashi always knew his student had a wily way of getting whatever she wanted, and could probably hook a man with just one of those sweet smiles (a secret he dreaded for her to ever discover), but to find someone in less than several hours since their conversation last night? He was aware of the sunlight stretching across the messy floor, and the morning rays slowly brightening up the colors of the aged, wooden walls. Things were moving far too quickly.

When would did she find time to meet this man of such ridiculously high standards that Kakashi had set up for her anyway?

As these questions rose up, Kakashi could not help but feel that smoldering spark start up from inside him. That ugly green-eyed monster he had often heard about, but always considered himself as too self-possessed and far above from ever feeling.

Green eyes of a different kind were looking back at him now. Sakura tossed the empty message bag over her shoulder. She lifted up a hand in farewell. The row of perches behind her were empty, and the crumpled picture lay completely discarded at her feet.

"Bye, sensei," she said. "I'll see you around."

They never had any reason for long goodbyes.

As she walked past Kakashi felt the sudden urge to reach out and stop her, but his hands remained firmly fixed in his pockets. He wouldn't even know what to say to her if he stopped her anyway. As Sakura's footsteps on the metal stairs slowly faded away, Kakashi was left behind to consider the growing mix of jealousy and dissatisfaction that licked at his insides.

Should he have stopped her back then?

The possibility of Sakura finding some other guy had become all too real. He regretted ever opening his mouth at the coin laundry. By giving her advice, he had effectively handed her the tools to her own destruction. He had already stood by and watched once as Sakura settled for someone beneath her in the past. Yet, he remained silent the first time around, and kept his feelings to himself. It was uncomfortable to hold back, but the fact that he was her former sensei and team leader helped him to remain silent on what he thought was a passing interest. Just a passing concern. There was no need for him to intrude or pay such close attention to Sakura's personal life, and he told himself over and over it was better for them to keep things professional.

Well, that certainly had been a mistake... and a wrong assumption. Their relationship was never strictly professional in the first place.

Kakashi knew he couldn't live with the regret of seeing Sakura get hurt again – not when he had a hand in controlling the outcome. If he let the opportunity to be with Sakura slip away this time around, then he would have no one to blame but himself.

He always assumed he would all the time in the world to become closer with Sakura. To slowly get to know her and just be happy as a close acquaintances, which had been the nature of their relationship all these years. But, obviously, this was no longer an option, as Kakashi could no longer deny the strong attraction he held for his former student. The fact that cocky idiots were running around the village now and making cheap-shots at his favorite girl only increased the urgency of the matter.

He would have to tell Sakura everything soon. Waiting around was no longer an option. He only hoped that she wouldn't go into catatonic shock or kill him when he told her the truth. Even as he stood pondering of how to tell Sakura his true feelings, the idea of actually stopping her and making a confession seemed beyond absurd. As he envisioned how it might turn out, every scenario led to Sakura either laughing him off, punching him out of mortification, or telling Naruto or Tsunade and then him dying in horrible unmentionable ways.

Yet, deep inside he could also see the other possibility. When he thought of all those smiles Sakura would freely give him in passing; or all those times they could only rely on each other to get through a tough mission; or all those days they would train; or all those countless hours they would spend talking, eating, contemplating the nature of the universe, or just sitting together comfortable silence, some small part of him dared to hope…

And other strange thoughts would appeared… such as maybe he wasn't the one who fell in love first. Maybe they had always been close, sharing a rare bond that went beyond what any other sensei and student in the village shared, or even beyond what many couples ever experienced. They had been through the thick and thin, slowly, undeniably, drawing closer together as time went on. He was merely the first one to become aware of this slow binding. If Sakura could only be brought to an awareness, too…

Then maybe they could find happiness after all.

This was only what the quietest whisper of his heart dared to hope.

* * *

Naruto was a ninja.

But that didn't mean he always used his ninja skills. Stealth, in particular, was not one of his strong points. He often wondered why stealth was necessary anyway when he could charge ahead and just demolish all obstacles.

Even so… he knew the importance of staying low-key this time around.

He held his breath as he silently crept beneath the walls of the Hyuuga compound, staying in the shaded areas and out of sight as much as possible. This last part was really inconsequential considering the special talent of the clan within the estate, but Naruto did not take this into consideration when he planned out the raid.

He was in the middle of _Operation: Save the Princess._

The plan was simple really. Get in, save Hinata, get out. Confess his undying love. Possibly kick some Uchiha ass.

Easy, easy stuff. He's had B-ranked missions more complicated than this.

The trees were waving in the breeze. The rustling sounds impaired his hearing, and Naruto strained to listen for any approaching footsteps. Craning his neck around, he glanced through the opening gate into the estate. There was no one around the dirt path or surrounding garden area. The coast was clear. After waiting a few more seconds, Naruto deemed it safe enough to dash across the front of the estate, leaves and dead grass crunching beneath his feet and flying into the air with abandon.

A bright streak of orange against the austere white walls and dull greenery.

He found a tree to hide behind (with bark that twisted up in an interesting shape, he noticed), and discreetly glanced around.

The coast was clear. He dashed out across the lawn again.

This time he ducked down by the front wooden decks of the main building. He slowly crept forward a few meters on his hands and knees in the damp earth, bobbing his blonde head up occasionally above the deck to look out for any passersby. There was no one around for a good distance. At least, no one he sensed anyway...

At this rate he would make it to Hinata's room within the next few minutes.

Where was her room anyway?

Hmm. He would have to figure that out along the way. However, before he could crawl forward, Naruto suddenly found himself unable to move as someone gripped the back of his jacket in a tight hold.

Naruto was forcefully hauled to his feet. His field of vision changed rapidly going straight from the ground to the face of one Hyuuga Neji.

"N-Neji!" Naruto exclaimed. "Wow! Haha. Fancy meeting you here… In the Hyuuga compound…"

The Hyuuga just stared back with blank, intimidating eyes. "Are you here to see Hinata?" he asked sharply. The fixed frown on his face gave away nothing.

"Um… yes?"

Neji released his jacket, and Naruto stumbled for balance as his weight came crashing down.

They stood silently for a moment and regarded each other. Naruto, tensed up and ready for fight or flight, and then Neji with his arms crossed, completely stoic. A cool wind blasted by.

"Follow me," the Hyuuga said simply. He began stalking off in the direction of the main building, without sparing Naruto another glance.

Naruto blinked rapidly for a moment out of confusion and disbelief, then quickly ran forward to chase after him. "Where are we going?" he blurted out.

"I'm taking you to Hinata," Neji replied in a flat voice.

Naruto beamed a bright, sunny smile. "Really…?"

"You're better than that other idiot, at any rate." Neji said this with an air of long-suffering.

Naruto placed his hands behind his head as he strolled forward. "Heh... and here I thought you were going to kick me out."

The Hyuuga slowly turned his head and gave the blonde boy a look as if the idea wasn't far from his mind. Their footsteps echoed off on the wooden deck. "As long as you treat her nicely, I won't gentle-fist you into the next century."

Naruto would have laughed, if it weren't for the fact that Hyuuga Neji never joked, and he knew he was being completely serious.

Naruto wisely kept his mouth shut as Neji let him into the estate.

* * *

The sun was bright overhead.

Sakura glanced up at the intense blue sky, and nervous jitters laced through her body as she realized it was nearing the appointed lunch-hour.

She had done well to suppress any feelings of anticipation throughout the day, and being around Kakashi's comforting presence for a little while chased the nervousness away all together, but now that she was back out in the open and climbing her way to the side path to the Hokage's mountain, she found herself lapsing back to worrying thoughts. Bits of gravel fell down the path as she moved forward, and winding weeds twisted their way up the mountainside.

Nervousness gnawed away at her stomach, and anxiety that she hadn't experienced since weeks before, bothered her now. It was not unlike those times she would have to worry about living in a house or some cold manor on the hill… the feeling brought up bad memories. Sakura did her best to think of the upcoming meeting rather than the bitter past. She focused on the steep incline, and the pleasant breeze, and thought of how wonderful day it would be to eat outside.

Captain Yamato was already waiting at the top of the Hokage Mountain when she arrived. His hands were clasped behind his back as he gazed out at the scenic view below, and a picnic basket waited at his feet. He made an impressive figure against the rock face. Dark blue skies and puffy white clouds made for a gorgeous backdrop.

Sakura couldn't help the small smile that rose to her lips. _This _was the man she managed to snag. Surely, with her new higher standard of men, things would go more smoothly now. Right? All she needed to do was remain calm, and not let her nasty temper show through. She just needed to put up a nice front, flatter the captain and go along with his words. Then things would lead to a next date, and then maybe something more… She smoothed down her skirt before approaching, knowing that things would go fine. She had done this all before, and with quite possibly the most difficult man on the planet to ever flatter.

Still, she couldn't fight this nervousness creeping through her system. What was this nagging feeling in the back of her mind?

Why did this situation seem so familiar?

"Captain Yamato." She playfully tugged at his sleeve from behind.

He glanced down with a tight smile. His wooden features twitching into the proper place.

Sakura's eyes eagerly followed each movement.

"I'm glad you made it," he said, then spread his arm out in a gracious manner. "Shall we?"

Sakura took a seat on the ground, as Yamato crouched down to the basket. Digging through the items the captain pulled out two bento boxes. A sheepish smile formed at his lips at the simple, purchased meal, but Sakura was only too eager to accept the food, feeling her stomach rumble with hunger. She didn't come to the lunch-date expecting high-class food anyway. There was no need for embarrassment on the captain's part.

To be honest, she was just happy someone was providing _her _with food for once, and not the other way around. Thoughts of previous meals with Sasuke surfaced to her mind, and she paused mid-bite holding the chopsticks to her lips. Another sour look formed on her face.

"Is something wrong?" Captain Yamato asked. They were both sitting on the ground now, facing the magnificent view. As he leaned forward, Sakura suddenly became aware of the captain's own nervousness. She could sense it in his voice and movements.

For some reason, this made her feel a little better. She was not alone in her feelings, and a sense of control returned.

And she liked it.

"It's fine," she said coyly, placing her bento box down, and tucking her hands into her lap. "But I can think of a way to make things better."

Yamato gave her a blank look.

"Soy sauce?" he asked, holding up a packet.

Sakura's eyes narrowed with disappointment

"No," she said flatly.

He obviously wasn't taking the hint. Sakura decided to take the initiative. Leaning closer now, she lightly wrapped a hand around his shoulder, then used her other hand to direct his chopstick bite of sweet radish to her lips. Placing her small hand around his hand to guide the food to her mouth.

This small action was clearly too much for the captain, as he tensed up completely and watched with surprise. His dark eyes followed her every action.

"That's better," Sakura said, neatly wiping her hand across her mouth.

She shot him another playful look. Or, at least, a look she hoped was playful. She never did things like with Sasuke.

At that thought, there was another uncomfortable pang in her chest. Uncertainty laced every thought.

But the feeling washed away the moment captain Yamato smiled back. "You know what else would make this situation _better_?" the captain asked.

Sakura waited breathlessly.

Yamato placed down his food and leaned forward, and placed his hand possessively near Sakura's thigh on the ground so that he was close but not touching. She could feel her heart beat faster at the close proximity, and it was at this moment that she suddenly knew she would be willing to go any length he asked. A familiar heat she recognized rose in her stomach, and a flush dusted her cheeks.

She didn't miss the look of smug satisfaction on his face as he lowered his face to hers, and their lips met.

But quite frankly she didn't care if he was smug or not, because this time around, Sakura felt exhilarated, and she could fool herself into thinking every kiss he stole was actually one that she freely gave away.

And so they softly gripped each other and she let him steal kisses. The food lay forgotten on the side as they rolled on to the ground. Sharp rocks dug into her back, but Sakura reveled in the familiar rush going through her veins that made her head dizzy with pleasure. She could feel the weight of his body as he pressed down against her.

If things were going too fast, Sakura didn't mind...

If she felt like a butterfly caught in a net, she didn't care…

_You're a high-class kunoichi who deserves a high-class sort of guy, _a voice warned softly in her head. At these forgotten words, Sakura frowned and pushed against the captain's chest to make him stop and to get his attention. She forcefully pulled her lips away.

They were both panting out for breath as they stopped moving.

"What's wrong?" Yamato asked again. This time, the captain almost seemed impatient. His mouth twisted down in a frown.

To be honest, Sakura wasn't sure. She only knew of the faint memory of a voice echoing through her head, and she struggled to articulate her feelings into words.

There was no doubt in her mind that she wanted this. That familiar thrum through her body told her so. Every time she felt this way before, she knew it was because her body was ready to be kissed and touched. She _ached _for it. But right now… it didn't seem quite right. Something was off. Besides, a more practical side of her reasoned, she still had work to complete at the Hokage's office. It wouldn't due if she suddenly got caught up in love-making with a man she barely knew. At least, not at this very moment…

"Let's wait… until tonight," she said finally.

At first she thought the captain would protest, and he looked as if he wouldn't move, but then he slowly drew away. At this distance, the world righted itself once again, and the heated rush faded from her system. Sakura straightened out her shirt, and the captain fixed his helmet and vest. A cool breeze went by, and they righted their clothing as they both fell back in to their more reserved natures.

Captain Yamato seemed too embarrassed to look at her. He wouldn't even give her a glance.

"Tonight…" Sakura repeated in reassurance, she lightly placed a hand on his arm again. "We can meet again at your place."

She didn't know why she was making promises so soon, but something inside her urged her on.

The captain seemed satisfied by this, and he finally turned back around with that fixed smile from before. "I'll hold you to that," Yamato said. His voice sent a delicious shiver down her spine. "I live on the south side of town. The housings by the river… number 314."

It was the group of complexes set aside for upper jounin and Anbu members.

Sakura had never gone to that side of village before, and she reveled in the thrill, feeling her the anticipation for the next meeting already growing. "I really must go now." She said, and stood up, brushing the dust from her legs. There were angry red imprints where the sharp rocks had dug into the back of her legs. The captain only watched her with dark eyes, tracing along the features of her body. "My shift ends around seven. I'm usually out earlier, but the Hokage has some late work she wants me to complete today."

Yamato did not comment back, no longer paying attention, but Sakura could feel his eyes on her as she moved

Another strange feeling ran down her spine.

"I will see you later," she promised softly, then turned to leave. She didn't stay around to hear any farewells from the captain. The sooner she got to work, the sooner she could get done, and the sooner she could meet up with him again. The primitive, lustful voice deep inside of her urged her to hurry, hurry…

There was a very obedient streak inside of Sakura. A streak that made her willing to do almost anything for others as long as it led to certain gratifications. As she rushed off, willing for the end of the day to come sooner, she completely ignored that small tug of consciousness in her mind that cried for her to slow down.

At this rate, her consciousness warned, she would only run back into more heartbreak.

But her primitive side urged her to push all these worries away. She was strong enough to handle this.

For Sakura, nightfall could not come soon enough.

* * *

Kakashi found her again later that afternoon.

He leaned casually against the doorframe of the weapons closet – his hands shoved deep into his pockets and a look of serious contemplation on his face. The light from the hallway spilled through the doorway, outlining his tense shoulders as he effectively blocked the only exit and entrance to the storage room. His silvery hair brushed down towards the headband, and one lone eye held her gaze.

Sakura was surprised that Kakashi would even know about these winding back corridors of the Hokage's office. Even personnel who worked in the office could go on for years without ever learning about these hidden rooms on the third floor.

Sakura put down a heavy box, then wiped off her dusty hands on her skirt. The broken kunais inside gave off a dull jangle once the box hit the cement ground. The once sharp and highly proficient blades were only good as scrap metal now with their rusty edges. They would be held in storage like all disposed weapons until the Hokage saw fit to have them melted down, and made into something more useful.

No new weapons were being remade today. Instead, it was Sakura's job to take inventory. Tsunade liked to send Sakura on meaningless little errands like these every now and then for the sole purpose of keeping her apprentice busy. Apparently, the task of delivering letters this morning had not been enough for the Hokage.

"What's wrong?" Sakura breathed out. She gave a soft pant as she wiped a damp lock of pink hair from her face. She had been hard at work ever she returned from her lunch-date.

Ever cool, Kakashi was never one to be upfront with his thoughts.

So, Sakura wasn't too put-off when he only tilted his head to the side in response, and considered her words as if she just asked a deep and probing question about a complex jutsu rather than the simple query of if there was something off in his life.

"Nothing," he finally concluded. Then spoke no more.

Sakura stared at him in a disbelieving way, knowing there must have been more to his sudden appearance than he let on. After years of having intimate talks with her team leader, and hearing all his blatant excuses for being late, Sakura could now detect even his more subtle lies. A seed of doubt took root in the back of her mind, and the anxiety began to grow and gnaw away at her insides like a cold grip.

And naturally, her mind automatically jumped to the worst conclusion. "Oh god, Tsunade just set us up for a mission, didn't she?"

Kakashi merely quirked an eyebrow.

"A mission full of deadly peril, and will require all of our energy and strength to complete," she concluded, "… and will last for months, and in which I'll need a lot of moral support before we go. Though, why she would choose send _you_ to break the news and give the pep talk is a little confusing."

"Hm," he said. Neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"I knew there was some suspicious reason for her keeping me around so late."

Again, no response. Then Kakashi found his words, "Actually, Sakura, there's something else–"

She interrupted with an annoyed huff. "Well, I'm not accepting any more S-class missions," she said, running straight over her sensei's words. "Do you hear me? Remember how I got hit in the stomach last time? Well, _this _is what it turned into." She lifted up her shirt to show-off an impressive finger-lengthed scar on her stomach. "And I was only inches away from stabbing me in the heart, too," she pointed out the spot in case Kakashi couldn't see it clearly enough already. "So, you can just go back and tell Tsunade-sama that I said no."

Sweet mercy, it didn't used to be this distracting to talk to her.

In any other situation, Kakashi might have reproached her, or told her that it was not so easy to turn down the Hokage's orders, but whatever words he intended to say became lost the moment Sakura flashed her stomach. His former student was by no means out of shape, and it was entrancing to see the way smooth flesh move over curves and muscles.

He remembered how his heart nearly stopped when Sakura received that wound across her stomach. The jounin was preoccupied on his own end of the battle, and could only catch a glimpse of Sakura through his peripheral vision as the enemy-nin took her by surprise. The blade ran straight into her middle.

But Sakura wasn't down for the count long. In the next moment, she drew back her fist and wiped the foe out with a powerful punch to the jaw that sent bones crunching, and Kakashi followed up with a clean cut of his kunai a second later to the enemy's chest. His contribution wasn't really necessary, but he had already made his way over there, and decided he might as well have finished the job (and unleash a little of his own righteous indignation on the bastard). As the enemy-nin collapsed to the ground, Kakashi reached out to catch Sakura with an arm who bent over at the exact same time. He propped her up as she immediately released healing chakra to the wound, and listened to her pant as she struggled for breath. Not once did she complain of any pain, but nonetheless, the sight of her blood was one he never wanted to see again.

That was some time ago, months perhaps, and the wound was nothing more than a scar now. A small line of pearly white flesh sat directly parallel from another scar, on her otherwise perfectly unmarked skin.

The stray thought of what it would be like to run his tongue over such soft skin crossed his mind, and it was at that moment that Kakashi forced himself to look away.

"You have a penchant for being stabbed in the gut, don't you?" Kakashi said, a pained expression crossed his face.

But Sakura missed this. She was too busy staring at her own scar with a morbid fascination. It took her a moment to snap back to reality. "Sorry, what did you say?"

There was a beat of silence in which Kakashi reconsidered his words. "Never mind…"

It would probably be best not to bring up traumatic memories from the past. Especially ones that involved near-death experiences.

With a smooth motion he pushed away from the doorway and strolled into the room, giving nothing away about his previous inappropriate thoughts. Sakura obligingly pulled her shirt back down as he approached, and stubbornly crossed her arms.

The tools in the weapons closet were kept in neat order on shelves and stands. A row of decorative shurikan lined the wall over the spot where Sakura stood. The hallway light gleamed off these blades as Kakashi stepped into the room. Like sparks against the night sky, and for a moment they flashed against her green eyes, too.

"I wasn't sent here by Tsunade," Kakashi said softly.

He stood before her with his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Hm," Sakura murmured, not quite convinced, and shot him a look of suspicion before resuming her job of moving hefty boxes. The same feeling from deep inside urged her to hurry on.

The next box dropped down to the ground with another metal clang, and Sakura ripped open the top to peer inside. It was another batch of broken kunais – as she expected – but this time there was a pile of tangled string resting on top, too.

"Oh, for the love of…" Sakura pulled out the tangled threads. "Who leaves explosion tags lying around in a place like this?!"

No less than twenty explosion tags hung docilely from the red string, barely moving as Sakura shuffled them out of the box. Inky black symbols glared up from the paper. The symbols spelled out the deadly seals necessary to initiate the explosion.

At any other time, holding so many tags together would have been considered highly dangerous, but with these stored away with the broken weapons they were most likely damanged in some way and completely harmless. Or, at least she hoped.

Sakura tossed a tangle of the mess over her shoulder and began to unknot the thread. They prevented her from getting to the kunais.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was mulling his own problems. A strange surge of energy had taken over his system ever since confronting Yamato early in the morning. The anger had long faded away, but Kakashi still felt uncharacteristically tense, jittery, restless… with energy that only an intense training session would be able to drain. Then he met Sakura in the message tower… which only worked to spike his feelings of restlessness.

Instead of alarming villagers and other ninja with a flurry of Gai-level of activity, Kakashi coolly settled for turning around and examining the rack of yari spears set up behind him, as he contemplated how to begin the conversation.

He traced a thoughtful finger along the design of the blades.

"Sakura…" he said after a long pause. "Would you say that we've known each other for a long time?"

Behind him, he could hear her struggling with the string. Soft curses leaving her lips.

"For a good portion of my life," Sakura finally admitted. Though, she sounded terribly distracted as she said this.

Kakashi got the feeling he didn't have Sakura's full attention, but then again, when did he ever? He was briefly reminded of the genin Sakura who once lulled off with bored eyes and played around with grass blades while he explained complex techniques.

It was strange to think of how long ago that seemed.

He moved on to the next display of weapons – idly crossing his arms in disinterest at the tanto blades.

"We've talked about a lot of things, too," Kakashi continued. The image of a young girl who dreamily spoke of love surfaced to his memory, and clashed with the image of the young woman who pressed a kiss to his cheek last night. Those green eyes that were so innocent and knowing at the same time burned into his soul, and sparked a wave of conflicting emotions.

He patiently waited for Sakura's response. Anything that might help him sort out these conflicting thoughts and give him leeway into the conversation.

He only got a smart remark in return.

"It's more like youread, while Italked," Sakura said. "To be honest, I wouldn't call those conversations. A tree could have taken your place and still had the same effect."

Well, at least she was honest.

Kakashi let out a sigh. It was hard to think that while Sakura had somehow buried herself deep into his heart, to her Kakashi was on equal level with a tree, and could easily be replaced.

Yet, he knew that she didn't really feel that way. Sakura was far too much of a caring and sensitive person than that, even if she did tease him with insulting remarks every chance she had.

Love was such a fickle beast.

The little monster behind him was still raging about and spewing out curse words. "_Damn explosion tags…_"

Now. Today. He needed to tell her.

"Listen, Sakura. There's something we should talk about..."

_Is it about how you keep getting lost on the road of life? _He half-expected her to say.

Instead, everything had stopped and became deathly silent. He strained his ears for any sound, but could only detect the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, and then the even quieter and more distant sound of Sakura's from across the room. For some reason, her's was beating faster than normal.

"Kakashi-sensei…" Sakura said slowly. "I think one of the explosion tags is still active."

That was not something he was expecting to hear.

Kakashi suddenly stopped gazing at the tanto blades, and glanced over his shoulder to see Sakura's wide fearful eyes.

She was tangled up in the red string which had somehow wrapped its way around her arms and chest, and a couple times over her head. Stomping around, cursing, tossing the string over her should and trying to unknot everything had been a mistake. She stood very still, tense, and hardly daring to breathe as she stared down at the suspected tag.

Next time, Sakura knew, it would be better to take things only one section at a time.

All previous thoughts and preoccupations became lost.

"Don't move," Kakashi ordered, quickly taking control of the situation. Team Seven had been accused of many things in the past. Some of which were true… or actually… _a lot _of them which had been true, but blowing up the Hokage's office would not be one of them.

The potential of one explosion tag setting off twenty others, compelled the jounin to exercise great caution. He slowly crept his way over to Sakura's spot behind the boxes and uncovered his sharingan to take a closer look.

"Do you see it?" Sakura whispered, as if lowering her voice would somehow lessen the likelihood of setting off a village-crippling explosion.

Kakashi crouched down and studied the red string, still remaining an arm's length away, and let his gaze slide over the strips of paper, one by one. After a long pause he finally stood up.

"I see it," he said.

Tense silence filled the air.

"Then don't just stand there!" she said, in a tone rising to near panic. "_Do something! _Do anything! Just get me out of this string…!"

"You're beginning to lose your head…" Kakashi cautioned. "Just calm down. I'll untangle you, but I need you to follow my instructions and do exactly as I say."

"Couldn't you just cut the string?!" Sakura asked. Her green eyes darted to his face, then back to the tag. Her legs were beginning to ache from standing in an awkward position for so long. Her heart was beating fast. She had hoped Kakashi's elite jounin skills would have gotten her out of this situation by now.

"We don't want to rush things," Kakashi replied evenly.

"My legs are hurting," she complained.

"Don't be such a baby."

"Says the guy who's not wrapped up in explosion tags!"

"How did you get in that situation in the first place?"

"Hmph." Sakura shot him an ugly look.

"Please… just trust me," the jounin said.

Kakashi ignored the way Sakura began to grumble under her breath. She was probably cursing his name, but he had dealt an angry-Sakura plenty of times in the past to know not to take any insults she said during this time seriously. Even if they were hurtful comments that inusulted his mother, or criticized his scruffy hair. All sarcastic mutterings stopped the moment he lightly placed a hand on her arm.

"Bend your elbows," Kakashi instructed gently. He stood in front of her now. "Spread your hands out and hold them up by your face."

Sakura complied, slowly lifting her hands up in front of her face and then spreading them as far as the tangled string would allow. Kakashi's face took on a look of complete focus as he began unwrap the string from her hands.

"Move this finger here…" Kakashi said. "…and then move that finger over like this."

Sakura obeyed, doing exactly as she was told as Kakashi went back to looping and unlooping the string. Despite his calm front and strong sense of presence, there was urgency in his movement, and deep down Sakura felt a small fear grow in her stomach. Hopefully it wouldn't take this long to free the rest of her body from her self-made trap.

It was getting uncomfortably warm in the room. Sakura could feel the pressure of the slow passing of time. Every so often Kakashi's gloves would brush over her knuckles as he untangled the mess. It was taking so long… she wondered if perhaps Kakashi was actually having trouble with the task.

Then quite suddenly, a mysterious smile appeared on Kakashi's face.

"Turn your hands like this," he ordered, demonstrating with his own hands.

Sakura slowly did so, watching Kakashi's bi-colored eyes with fascination. She wondered what could possibly warrant such bemused smile from the Copy-nin in such a pressing situation.

She didn't have to wonder for long as Kakashi picked the top string from between her fingers and pulled it into the air. He paused, waiting for her reaction. It took a long moment before Sakura realized the red lines between her hands formed a strange shape.

With a tense jaw and a tic developing in her left eye, Sakura could feel her anger quickly flaring up. There would certainly be an explosion here in a few moments, but not from the tags.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?!" she demanded.

"It's called _cat's cradle_," Kakashi said giving a cheeky grin. "See? You pull at the lines to make different shapes. Right now it's a tower, but when you do this…" he dropped the top string then pulled on two other edges. "…it becomes a bridge."

He acted as if he just showed her one of the greatest things in the world.

And Sakura might have been inclined to agree if the situation weren't so pressing.

An angry flush burned her cheeks. Sakura sucked in a deep breath trying one last attempt to remain calm, "There's a very real possibility that I might get my hands or legs blown off," she ground out, "…and you're playing cat's cradle with the string of explosion tags."

Sensing Sakura's sour mood Kakashi dropped the strings with disappointment and coolly reached into his leg pouch for a kunai. In one smooth motion the strings fell away into a pile on the ground and Sakura was free. The strips of paper quickly fluttered down – their dark inky faces laughing out at Sakura as they settled down on the red pile of string.

"They weren't really active," Kakashi explained dully. He leaned back and crossed his arms. A look of boredom crossed his face.

"Then you should have said so in the first place!" Sakura fumed. She felt completely justified when she gave Kakashi's arm a hard punch.

In Kakashi's defense, he didn't even flinch when the hit landed. Instead, he lifted up a shoulder in a lazy shrug. "It doesn't take special eyes to tell that the symbols on the tags were defective. Who ever made them did a sloppy job. They're all duds."

Then Kakashi slowly winked his sharingan shut, and tugged his headband down.

He must have been a masochist of the worst kind, Sakura decided. He was a fairly intelligent man, and the only way to possibly explain why he continued to allow himself to become victim to her notorious tempers was because he enjoyed the pain. At least, that was the only explanation Sakura could come up with.

"I'm going to kill you," Sakura said. "Very, very slowly."

She sounded quite serious. Kakashi contemplated the possibility of actually being killed by an angry woman in a room full of weapons, and then decided the possibility was very high. He wondered how fast he would have to move to escape through the room's only exit while dodging a yari spear.

Sakura crossed her arms. "You never take me seriously," she complained. "I'm just some amusement to you… "

"That's not true…" Kakashi said quietly.

Sakura made a sound of disbelief.

"I'm being serious," he said. This time he stepped forward to run his hand over her hair and brush down her cheek in a soft caress.

She froze beneath his touch, and stared at him with wide curious eyes, waiting for his next words.

Kakashi waited for his next words, too, uncertain of what to say.

Each passing second stretched out into painful silence. Dull orange light glittered off of the blades on the wall, like gleaming sparks held frozen in place by time. In the dark room they were cloaked harsh outer world where rivals and jealousy existed. In this little room it was just the two of them. Kakashi and Sakura.

Her cheeks were so warm – still flushed from previous anger. Just the light brush of his fingers on her skin was enough for Kakashi to feel connected, and he let his hand linger against her cheek. The steady rhythm of her heartbeat and breathing became loud in his ears. She was probably all too aware of his, too.

All he had to do was tell her that she was not just an amusement, and that she meant so much more to him…

Now would be the perfect time, the soft voice in his head whispered.

Somewhere along the way, the lines separating them blurred, and feelings of affection had become something more. Things had changed drastically over the years, but exactly when that happened was a question he often asked himself. He could never pinpoint a single moment that would lead to these tangled feelings.

It was as if every action in the past had slowly built up to this moment. Criss-crossing and overlapping. Every mission, every training session, every passing glance.

All those meaningless days when they spoke of meaningless things.

Then that one night at the moon-viewing festival, when Kakashi realized he could no longer see Sakura as just his student. He looked over to find that the girl he once knew was no longer the same as before. The way she looked at him also said she felt the same way, even if she didn't know...

There was only one more logical step they could take now, only one direction they could possibly go. Even if Sakura was not aware of it, they were on a precipice… standing dangerously close to the edge and just a step away from taking the plunge.

Together they had become something more.

_Did she even realize this?_ He often wondered. _Was she even aware of how different they were…?_

He needed to tell her. Let her become aware of this closeness. It was now of the upmost urgency. He _had _to tell her. Even if it would be awkward and painful.

Yet… was it ever in love's nature to cause feelings of pain or hurt?

Because Kakashi was certain that if he told Sakura his true feelings, there would only be pain in the truth.

It was agonizing. Every moment he kept his true feelings to himself, the pain pricked him instead… and each moment of silence tore away at him a little more. For all the pain and longing, for the all the love and affection… Kakashi knew there was only one thing he could possibly do with these feelings. It was unfair for only one of them to carry the burden this way.

As he held Sakura's face in a light caress, he had the feeling that _she _was the one holding him. The claws of this little beast had sunk deep into his heart. She was a kunoichi, a genin, a girl, a mature young woman – everything at once, and the only person with the green eyes that could steal his very soul. He could feel the courage slowly building up, and the words bubbling forth from somewhere deep within as his mind went over these things with a lightning fast speed. The words were clawing out of his heart and just threatening to spill from his lips.

But as Kakashi gazed down at his former student, he suddenly realized that she wasn't even seeing him. Once again, she was looking straight through him.

He found it impossible to talk to her when things were like this.

Sakura was so used to his affectionate hair strokes, that she didn't mind his touch. She casually tucked a stray hair behind her ear on the opposite of her face, then wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead. There was a comfortable feeling between them that could only come from years of nearness from training and missions.

It was hard to speak when she didn't even acknowledge his reaching out as anything other than normal behavior.

"Sorry, sensei," she said. "It's not that I'm not having fun here playing with defective explosion tags, but I really must go... there's someone I promised to meet."

This was the girl who would tear his heart to ribbons.

Sakura drew away, but Kakashi stopped her from leaving this time, stepping in her path. He wouldn't let her walk away so easily.

"Sakura," he said seriously. "If something was bothering you… you would tell me, right?"

Sakura shot Kakashi a wary glance. She apparently thought this sudden question was a strange thing to ask. "Sure…" she said, but there was no conviction in her voice.

"If you were ever truly unhappy..."

There was concerned look on her face. "Of course," she promised, not even letting him finish the sentence. Haven't they always told each other everything, anyway?

Even if Kakashi still looked pained, he appeared slightly relieved of some deep inner burden. He decided that he would not drag her down the precipice with him, or trap her with his gross affections for her, but if he could just ensure her happiness he would be satisfied. Even if it tore him up from the inside and ripped his heart to a million little pieces.

He would force himself to be content.

Her delicate brows were knitted down in concern. "What's wrong?" she demanded. It was the very first question she asked him when he walked into the weapon's closet. He brushed the question off then, but this time she demanded an answer.

Kakashi let out a sigh. "It's really not important."

Sakura wasn't buying it. "If there was something bothering you, then _you _would tell _me_, right?"

Kakashi let out a deep breath, and pinched the bridge of his nose. An uncharacteristic sign of frustration. "You know I would."

Yet, neither believed, and they both stood there unsatisfied. It was as if a heavy curtain had fallen over their usually care-free relationship. Suddenly, it seemed to each as if the other was far too vulnerable to tease at the moment, and banter fell short.

"I trust you…" Sakura said suddenly, in a very serious voice. "I say things a lot to cut you down, but really… it's because I feel intimidated. You're an elite jounin, the best in the village... You've always been there for me, and I do trust you."

Which was exactly why he couldn't hurt her feelings, or let her experience any doubt or confusion over this ideal Copy-nin she had created in her mind. Kakashi stuffed his hands in his pockets and quietly turned his head away. He would make no advances on her.

"Go home, Sakura," he said.

Quickly, before he did anything he would sorely regret.

She was clearly unhappy with this command.

"I wish you would just tell me what's on your mind," she said. "It's obvious that something is bothering you."

"I'm just tired from last week's mission. That's all."

Lies. Lies. Lies.

"Would you like me to take away some of the fatigue?" she asked, raising a glowing hand of chakra, even if there was a doubtful frown on her face. She often made this offer to heal after especially tough missions, and would soothe away tension with an easy touch of her hand. He would always treat her to a meal afterwards… another thing he would never do for any other person. He only treated her to these sort of things because she was his favorite student. Just because she was the sweetest and prettiest... the strikes against him continued to pile up.

"No, it's fine. Just go home, Sakura…" Kakashi said.

It was flat-out rejection.

Sakura turned away. She knew something was off. Kakashi was not telling her something. He had his mind set on keeping information locked up… and once Kakashi's mind was set, then that was all there was to the matter. There was no use trying to pry the secretive jounin for information. Sakura knew, because she had tried unsuccessfully many times in the past.

Even it seemed he was willing at times to tell her more things than others... she supposed that there still remained that same distance between them that he kept between himself and others, too.

For some reason, Sakura's throat felt tight. "Then I'm going," she said. He clearly wanted her to go, so she would. "Try to get some rest, sensei..."

She sincerely hoped it was only exhaustion pushing the jounin to become so aloof. Hopefully, after he rested, then things could go back to the way they were before, and they would both be able to smile freely and speak of meaningless things again.

Kakashi only waved a lazy hand in a half-hearted salute. So distant. As if someone had turned the clock back, and erased all the years between them.

Sakura found herself walking away again, leaving her sensei behind. Something, she quickly discovered, was becoming quite the unfortunate habit.

It was with a heavy heart that she walked off into the night.

Sakura didn't stay around long enough to hear the yari spear rack being smashed against the wall.

* * *

The moonlight vanished behind the dark clouds of night. All was hushed and silent save for the steady chirping of crickets and distant rush of water just a field away. Sakura climbed her way up the third flight of steps, and then across the deck leading to the farthest door at the end of the row. Soft light filtered down from the moon through the gap between the dark clouds, revealing the tarnished numbers of 314 over the wooden doorframe.

She could feel her heart thrumming in her chest, and the sharp desire shooting through her veins. Her body longed for this, softly urging her on. The familiar rush of blood heated her cheeks and desire pooled into her stomach. She quietly knocked on the door and waited for an answer, feeling her anticipation grow with every second.

The door opened with a creak and a flood of yellow light poured out on to the deck. Sakura could only see the dark silhouette of the captain against the bright light.

He beckoned her inside with that fixed smile, wooden features subtly changing as dark eyes drank her in.

There was a strange twist in her stomach. A small feeling that something wasn't quite right. Troubled thoughts still lingered in the back of her mind from her worrying encounter with Kakashi just moments before, but that more primitive side of her was pushing… calling… beckoning her to push such troubling thoughts aside, though a small twinge in her heart still ached for her to understand.

Sakura stepped into the captain's abode, for what promised to be a night of forgetting.

The door shut again trapping the bright light within, and casting the outside world into perfect darkness.

It had been a long day of transgressions – and now this, the greatest trespass. The world nearly trembled in hushed anticipation for the night to end.

The next morning would be heralded in by a blood-red sun, and the sky would be dyed with the hues of deepest red.

But for now, all was silent and hushed.

* * *

-

-

_A/N: _I apologize once again for the long delay. I'm pretty sure I jinxed myself last time by promising a fast update. With that being the case I will make no such promises this time around (shhh!) *crosses fingers* The title of the next chapter is called... _Meltdown_. I'm completely psyched for this next one. The events that take place are actually what inspired the whole fic. It will be intense and full of action, and have those tender moments, too. So, look forward to it!


	9. Meltdown

A/N: Just as a warning… there are high levels of smut and kick-assery in this chapter. Are you ready?

* * *

**Winner Takes All**

_Chapter Nine : Meltdown_

* * *

The ground shakes, earth quakes,

_I'm finally breaking down._

_Big explosion, death-trap blast,_

_This is everything I've become._

* * *

She slept with him.

To make it simple… it wasn't bad.

It was something easy and effortless. The captain was reasonably attractive without his clothes. Like all shinobi he was all toned muscle and full of rigorous stamina. He didn't take too much control – perhaps too afraid of doing something Sakura would dislike, and followed along with whatever she wanted.

In return, Sakura didn't demand much, but only asked that he remained silent as she set the pace. Sakura made sure captain Yamato didn't talk by covering his mouth, alternating between kisses and soft bites, and running her tongue against his in hot pleasure… until they reached the point when they could no longer breathe and stay connected at the same time, and were forced to separate… throwing their heads back for air as they both continued to grind down push on relentlessly towards that uncertain point where the world faded away, and the only thing that became substantial was the driving need that consumed their senses.

Somewhere in her subconscious, Sakura took satisfaction in listening to captain Yamato's bitten back groans as he struggled to remain silent.

With the Yamato's short, choppy hair and average features, it became easy to ignore his appearance while at the same time touching him in the most intimate way possible to touch another human being. Features blended together in the dark, until looks truly didn't matter to Sakura. His eyes could have been the eyes of any person, so could have been his nose…or his mouth. In the dark, he could have had any face at all.

To Sakura, the only important thing was the sound of Yamato's harsh breathing and the feel of his warm skin as they kept close contact. She closed her eyes, twisted her fingers through his hair, keeping close reign of him as they pushed on to towards that elusive but promising edge. She found it amazing, that through the haze of desire she could even convince herself that he wasn't really there.

The captain was not the captain, but instead just another warm, willing body.

It had never been so easy for Sakura to use another person before. Especially, when the only thing Sakura knew in the past was how to give in to others and be used.

She took complete advantage of the situation.

And as she arched her back, opening her mouth in a wordless cry, and feeling the spasm of her inner muscles as she clenched down on him again and again – she knew that bliss never felt so good.

* * *

That night, having fallen asleep in the captain's bed with the moonlight streaming in, Sakura was visited by strange dreams.

Or rather, she was racked by horrible nightmares.

Each more disturbing and nonsensical than the last. Beneath disheveled pink hair, her eyelids fluttered from the intensity of the dreams. She let out a sleepy moan and her arm jerked half-heartedly as she reached out for support, but Yamato and Sakura were facing away from each other, and she only ended up reaching for thin air. In the darkness, her mind blazed with the light of her final dream.

There was sand everywhere. Not the wonderful smooth sand of the beach… but a different kind that was coarse and dark. Sakura could not breathe from the grit flying up to her nose and mouth. Then the blast of surrounding heat was nearly enough to make her faint. She was sore and exhausted. Her heart was pounding loudly in her ears, but she could not stand still. The zing along her senses warned her that she was in great danger.

The sound of clacking wood echoed off the walls. Sakura blinked… and found herself in a cave. A huge cavern. A giant puppet shot up from the right side of her peripheral vision – with a wooden face and odd limbs that jerked around in the most bizarre, inhuman way.

Heated fear dropped down into her stomach.

The black cloak attached to the puppet fluttered in the hot wind, and the red patterned clouds on top waved in an eerie dance.

Suddenly, Sakura understood exactly where she was and what she was doing.

It was her fight against Sasori.

She dreamed about this often enough, _lived_ through the experience, and flashes of the memory would sometimes haunt her during the quiet moments of the day. It was not often, never more than once in a great while – months at a time, perhaps – but then there would always come the odd day when she would drag herself home, so drained and exhausted that she would collapse into bed without even taking her shoes off, and she then would remember. In great detail. She would always remember.

Many years had gone by since that time, but as long as these memories persisted… Haruno Sakura would forever be that fifteen year old girl running through a dark cave, brave yet terrified, as she fought an inhuman monster.

The razor tail of the puppet ripped past her head, inches away from cutting off her neck. Feeling the breeze whiplash against her face, and sensing the tail swing back around was enough to send Sakura into a dead run.

She was always younger in this dream, and her body smaller than she knew it to be in recent times. Her legs and arms were lighter and faster.

A spray of poison needles rained down from the sky and Sakura was forced to bend and twist to avoid the deadly points. Touching down to the ground and turning around on her hands, Sakura dodged from one open spot to another. Her heart was pounding loud in her ears. She never knew she could be so agile.

Chakra strings were controlling her arms and legs. More experienced hands guided her through the fight, and in the back of her mind Sakura knew it was Lady Chiyo. In a strange moment of awareness, she understood that these blue strings would never form amusing shapes, and for some reason felt bitter disappointment.

In her distraction, the cloud of poison gas took her by surprise. Without meaning to… she inhaled, and suddenly found herself unable to move. Only the reach for the explosion tags in her kunai pouch milliseconds before the paralysis set-in, saved her in this instance, and the sudden explosion dispelled all of the poisonous gas. These tags were no duds.

But that's when he got her.

Sakura fell to her knees, halted by the blade in her stomach. She was penetrated… pierced so deeply she could not breathe. The wound went deep through her guts. Like a butterfly pinned to the wall. The first spasm had already taken over her body as she lifted her head to see the eerie blank features of the puppet's face leering down at her, but then she was forced to double over as she hacked up blood.

The world was closing in. Her vision blurred and soon the only thing she knew was a pain so unbearable that she could only wish for death.

She choked out another racking cough, slowly falling into the ground. She wanted to die. Just die rather than face this pain, because it was a pain that went beyond the realms of what even the most elite shinobi should ever have to suffer in a lifetime. The poison felt like blunt razors, crawling through her veins like slow molasses, starting at the point where the blade cut through her stomach. Then world turned to a sickening black – and she lost consciousness.

This was the first time Sakura had died.

* * *

She woke up with a soft cry, jolting the bed with her. The cool morning air smacked her in the face, and a chilling ache from the remembered pain of her dreams laced through her bones. It was in that disorienting moment that she realized she was not wearing any clothes. Settling down, and with a tired, weary hand, she reached down to pull the sheets over her body, only to realize that she could not move her arms.

Heart hammering through her chest, the panic began to start up again.

Sakura snapped her eyes open, fully awake now, and aware of the fact that she was in a strange bed, in a strange place, naked, and unable to move. She knew she was no longer dreaming, yet her mind could not make sense of the bizarre wooden bindings that twisted around her body and wrapped around her wrists and ankles. They were like long, square wooden branches. Smooth and sanded down, and unlike anything she had seen before. Yet, they were familiar, and she _had_ seen them before…

Her sinewy muscles tensed up as she pulled against the strange bonds. She could not break them with her normal strength. Quickly taking control of the situation, Sakura forced chakra to her right wrist. The binding began to crack and break beneath the force of her power.

"Don't."

A warm hand landed on top of her own, stopping her movements. Yamato then pulled away and lowered his head to the dip of her hipbone, and began a trail of hot, open-mouthed kisses up towards the center of her stomach. In the morning light, the features of his face were all too clear – dark eyes, and hard jaw line, and a hint of a shadow from not shaving since the day before.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sakura demanded. Her mouth was dry. It was difficult to lift her head up with the wood wrapped around her body, but she could see the captain's choppy brown locks as he bobbed his head up and down to plant each kiss. He paused to bring his hands up and drag them possessively up and down her sides. She could feel the rough calluses of his fingers against her soft skin.

"You had your fun last night," he explained. "Now it's _my _turn." Yamato lowered his head again, this time to give attention to her left breast, raking his teeth across her sensitive nipple. The pressure of his teeth was too much, and sent an unpleasant shock through her system. There was impatience in the way his hands gripped at her sides.

Sakura could feel the panic rising again as she pulled at the wooden bindings around her wrists and legs. She couldn't even turn her body away if wanted to. In this position she was vulnerable and her legs were splayed out in a way that was meant to keep her completely exposed.

"I'm not comfortable with this," Sakura said, and began wiggling free from the bindings again.

Her movements forced captain Yamato to pause. He used his hands to still her wrists again. "Don't," he insisted. "You'll break the bonds."

"That's the point!" Sakura snapped irritably.

"Don't be such a spoilsport."

"You think I'm trying to break away from these bonds just because I want to _ruin your fun_?"

This time captain Yamato let out an impatient sigh. "I know it may seem strange at first, but I promise it'll feel good in the end. Just give me a chance." His eyes raked down her form, then he moved as if to plant kisses on her body again. "By the way, did I mention that I could change the size and shape of _other _parts of my body?"

"I told you, that I'm not comfortable with doing this," she said again, her voice rising by degrees.

This time the sound of splintering wood filled the air, and Sakura broke the bonds. As she sat up, the bits of wood fell from her body and across the bed sheets.

The captain's mouth was twisted down into a frown. The way he watched her was so unnerving. "This is unfair," he said. "I agreed to your weird 'silence' request last night. Now it's my turn."

"I never promised to bondage, or whatever the hell kinky thing you're trying to do!" Sakura shouted back. "And who said anything about turns? Or that I would even sleep with you _twice_?"

She stood up, quickly moving to gather up her clothes. The morning light revealed a small, simple room not unlike her bedroom at home, except here there was a desk and chair in the corner. She had bruised her leg against that desk last night in their haste to enter the room and tumble into the bed.

Sakura grabbed her skirt and shorts from the floor, and then her shirt strewn across the back of the chair. As she began to dress, the captain got up from the bed. There was a look of annoyance across his face.

"Do you really think you can just go around demanding sexual favors from other people without giving some sort of payback in return?"

Sakura didn't like the tone of his voice just then. When he placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention, she lost her temper and whirled around to smack him away, ready rail against his stupidity and ignorance.

When all at once every angry word she wanted to say dropped from her mouth. Her green eyes widened in surprised as she took in the captain's face.

Without the cover darkness, it was easy to see. The light revealed every straight line of his face, as if he were cut from a woodblock, and then highlighted his dark, hollow eyes and choppy brown hair. It was as if they were in the flower shop all over again, standing beneath the wide windows that magnified the sunlight, and Sakura was seeing captain Yamato's features up close for the first time in years. She remembered that there was something peculiar about his face that she couldn't pin down. It was oddly stiff, and wooden…

Like a puppet.

The realization left Sakura speechless, and she felt winded, unable to speak. Suddenly, her fascination with the captain the past few weeks made sense. All this time… she was just… just…The hand she brought up to smack him fell down in the air weakly, as all fighting spirit left. Captain Yamato, who seemed just as ready to argue moments before, now seemed uncertain of what to make of Sakura's sudden change, and only looked on confusion.

"What is it?" he demanded.

But there was no way Sakura could explain something like this. There was no way she could explain the sudden sickness in her stomach or her complete and utter disgust with herself. She brushed his hand off her shoulder. "Don't touch me," she was all she could say, voice trembling, and then weakly stumbled back towards the door. "I'm sorry… but I have to go."

"What about—"

"It's never going to happen!" Sakura snapped. Then shut the door with a bang. Her quick footsteps could be heard all the way down the hall, then even outside as she pounded down the steps in her rush to leave.

Then there was silence. The captain ran a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. There was the bitter disappointment of unfulfilled sexual desire, and the humiliation and strange happenings from last night and today. Without a doubt, he was now the man having the worst morning in all of Konoha.

Except he wasn't.

**-**

**-**

**-**

**-**

Two floors down, in apartment 114… Hatake Kakashi stared intently at the ceiling. His face was carefully neutral, and his body was relaxed and free of tension – except for his hands which held the sheets of the bed in a very tight grip.

All of Konoha could have heard that argument that took place just now.

The loud sound of wood snapping in half.

"_I never promised to bondage, or whatever the hell kinky thing you're trying to do!"_

"_I agreed to your weird 'silence' request last night. Now it's my turn."_

"_And who said anything about turns? Or that I would even sleep with you twice?" _

Then the very quiet. _"Don't touch me."_

Kakashi thought he might have imagined that last part. He was, after all, still in the last stages of his drowsed, half-awake state at that time. He had arrived back at the apartment in the wee hours of the morning, after taking a long, and exhausting walk through the woods and hiking up the Hokage Mountain to get rid pent-up energy and to clear his mind. He didn't make it his business to know the personal happenings of his neighbors. Quite frankly, he didn't want to know.

But there was no ignoring the pounding of steps that came down from two flights above, or that glimpse of bright pink and red that fluttered past the gap of his window curtains. It was impossible to ignore that loud, upset voice that filled the halls, or that familiar brush of chakra that touched just against the edges of his awareness…

Either a very upset Sakura left the building just now, or he was beginning to suffer from severe hallucinations.

The jounin released his death-grip on the sheets and slowly rolled to his side, facing away from the window.

There was only so far you could push a shinobi before he reached his breaking point.

And Hatake Kakashi thought that perhaps he had finally reached his own.

* * *

Sakura washed herself thoroughly. Stepped out, dried herself off with a towel… then after a moment of thought, jumped back into the shower again. This time fogging the mirrors up with steam, and running the water until it was cold.

She still felt dirty.

This uncomfortable feeling was more than something that could just be washed away. It was something that went deeper than skin and crawled around the consciousness – a sort of painful guilt that pressed heavily on her mind. Sakura wrapped the towel around her shoulders and padded off to get dressed – walking through the hallway that was completely her's, to the bedroom that was also her's, and in the home that only _she_ owned. Then putting on clothes to cover her exposed body, she walked over to the window, crossing her arms as she looked out. Her footsteps echoed against the plain walls of the empty room.

Was it so strange, that she felt so alone?

It was raining outside. Just a light drizzle. The gray sky was so different from the desert sun that filled her dreams. The one that blazed with heated madness and could drive a person unused to such heat to insanity… but there was no such sun here in Konoha. Instead, Sakura welcomed the downcast cover over the sky, and the faint coolness in what otherwise would have been a muggy day.

Vaguely, the thought occurred to her that she was hungry. Yet, it was difficult to eat with such nauseating guilt eating away at her stomach. She felt sick as well as dirty, and it was in that moment that it occurred to her that she once felt this way before, and the way she cured this feeling last time was by throwing herself into an endless array of tasks.

Perhaps she would go to the flower shop, then? Or meditate on a muddy training field?

No.

She would start with the more practical first, and complete her weekly check of the underground tunnels for Tsunade.

Sakura headed out the door, hearing it creaked as she closed it, and chose to still ignore the shattered remains of the flowerpot she promised to clean up weeks before.

She walked without a jacket or umbrella, and the scattered drops fell on her head. Each drop felt like a cleansing, that was not all too different from a shower. The water left darkened marks wherever they touched, slowly bleeding the unpaved streets to a light film of mud. The water smacked against Sakura's sandals, and it became just a little more difficult to walk with each step as the wet ground began to suck away at her feet.

The market place was almost abandoned as stall owners packed up their stands, and people wisely began seeking shelter underneath awnings and within buildings. The scent of a storm was in the air – along with all the signs of brewing restlessness. From the dark gloomy look of the sky and feel of light rain, to the distinct taste and smell that one quickly came to recognize with heavy clouds. There was something nasty on the way.

Sakura calmly walked along, feeling a light prickle along her skin which she ignored, and brushed off as a chill. A few blocks later, she came in front of what looked like an abandoned building. A simple square structure made of cement – and was completely unwelcoming in every way. From the warning signs plastered to the outside only allowing the passage of "_personnel", _to the barbed wires on top of the roof, and then to the heavy metal door that made up the front.

It was the entrance to an underground tunnel. These tunnels were only intended for catastrophic, village-wide emergencies of the likes which hadn't been seen since the day the Kyuubi attacked. Occasionally, it was given as a long, unnecessary tours to frighten blind-folded prisoners-of-war before they were dragged off to interrogation (chuunin were given the job of howling in the tunnels beforehand), and then occasionally used to move storage from one part of the village to another, but other than that the passageways were left abandoned – just as they should be.

One final other use included the adding on of the list of meaningless chores the Hokage liked to give her apprentice in order to keep her busy. It was Sakura's job to check the light fixtures and make sure that none of the lights had burned out or were in the need of changing.

It would have been disastrous if someone got trapped inside, or if a catastrophe _did _hit and the tunnels couldn't be used because of a lack of light. Shinobi didn't carry around torches, and _someone _had to do the menial job of checking on light bulbs anyway.

Sakura opened the heavy metal door… but was surprised to discover that the lights were already on. The bare light bulbs stringed along the wires on the cement walls flickered with an odd yellow glow. The faint buzz of electricity running through the bulbs filled the still air, as well as the soft dripping of water from a leak somewhere above ground.

Sakura's senses were instantly on alert.

The soft sound of rain echoed through the passageways.

It was clear that someone else was in the tunnel. She closed the metal door behind, trapping the intruder and inside with her. She felt no fear, as no one stood a chance against her powerful punches. Sakura only pitied the troublemaker for making sport of Konoha's emergency outlets.

Perhaps it was the stress of everything that had happened over the past few days, or the incident from this morning still running around her mind, but as Sakura walked down the tunnel, she found herself terribly distracted.

Which would explain why she didn't immediately recognize the familiar presence of the other person trapped within.

She turned the corner, avoiding the splash of water that trickled down the walls, but instantly stopped as her body unconsciously reacted to the scent, feeling, and presence of the person just beyond. It was as if her heart had dropped down to her stomach than rammed back into her throat. Her knees went shaky, and there was a pain in her chest… her nerves were on fire.

She turned the corner and met Sasuke.

He was leaning coolly against the wall with his arms crossed. He looked the same as ever with his clean white shirt, dark spiky hair, clear yet unreadable eyes, and that slight disapproving frown that forever sat on his otherwise flawless face.

Sakura lightly reached a hand out to the wall for support, feeling the rough grooves of the cement, and hating how her body reacted so violently from just the mere sight of him.

Yet, there was something other than helplessness that she felt at the moment – a sort of smoldering anger that began to spark and burn in the pit of her stomach.

Sasuke coolly tilted his head sideways towards her, and his eyes fell on her form taking in her complete appearance. Somehow, it felt as if he could see everything about her, and from that one look know everything that she had done in the long month of their separation.

"I thought you would be here," he said simply. "Sakura… we need to talk."

He had always been able to affect her with the simplest words or actions, but this time his words ignited something deep inside of her… a sort of frustration, and anger, and fighting spirit that had been locked away deep inside and had grown and festered over the weeks.

For the first time, in a long time, Sakura was in the mood for battle.

* * *

Kakashi was there, waiting for captain Yamato when he stepped out of the apartment.

The captain shut the door then paused, surprised at seeing the jounin crouching down so coolly on the metal railing of the walkway. Even though crouching down looked as if it would be uncomfortable for any other person – Kakashi seemed quite at ease, as if he could sit there all morning. Perhaps, he already had.

"Afternoon, Tenzou," Kakashi said lightly.

In the moment the moment their eyes met, captain Yamato understood that _he _knew. Yamato didn't know how that could have been possible, or when Kakashi would even have had the time to figure it out so quickly… but he knew.

Despite Kakashi's calm appearance, Yamato could feel adrenaline shoot up and his senses kick into high gear. There was a palpable tension in the air, as if every part of the surrounding world was gathering up energy in some indefinable way. Even the light patter of rain behind Kakashi and the third floor railing seemed to be adding to that slight charge that was building up, and would soon lead to an intense explosion.

Kakashi reached out pulled Yamato forward by the collar of his vest. "Follow me," he said quietly, then let go. In the next moment, the jounin stood up from the railing and leaped upwards, out of sight, and scattering raindrops as he went. He was out of Yamato's direct field of vision, but from the sound he could tell that Kakashi had disappeared somewhere on the roof of the building.

With Kakashi gone, Yamato could see the endless stretch of sky with dark ominous clouds just beyond. The path leading from the apartment complex went downhill towards the main part of the village, and into the marketplace… but this is not the direction where Kakashi went.

Without further hesitation, Yamato climbed up to the metal railing, as Kakashi had done, and took a powerful leap upwards, feeling the wet drops hit his face as he reached for the wall, and took an extra leap to reach to roof of the apartment complex – five floors above the ground.

The jounin was waiting for him at the top, and barely acknowledged his presence before leaping away behind the building and across the muddy river that separated the apartment complexes from the training grounds especially meant for Anbu and upper-level jounin.

Yamato leaped after him, lightly touching down on the muddy water and pushing himself up with chakra to get across. He was surprised, however, when Kakashi didn't stop at the first clearing, but instead went into the wild brush and towards to the higher elevated training grounds deep into the forest. Yamato silently went after him, taking note of every small rise in the land, and not bothering to raise any questions – as something told him that it would not be wise to cross the Copy-nin at the time.

There was something intensely serious about the way the jounin moved, and there was an incredible tension in his shoulders that Yamato had not seen in the Copy-nin since his days in Anbu. The charges in the air continued to build, and the rain fell at a heavier pace with a loud clatter, lowering the level of visibility, and muffling other sound. Subconsciously, Yamato began to take in small cues from the natural world that would either help or hinder him in battle.

After years of fighting, the captain had learned to recognize an upcoming fight, and the strange nervousness and anxiety running through his body told him that he and Kakashi weren't just going out for a friendly spar.

Though, telling the difference between friend and foe was always a little more difficult.

What if the opponent was a just a friend temporarily turned foe?

Kakashi finally stopped in a field by the waterfall – the mouth to the river that led to the muddy canal that twisted and wrapped around the apartment complexes far behind in the distance. The loud roar of the water rushing down and beating against the jagged rocks below was enough to deafen any conversation – let alone any screams of pain, or quiet movements that came along with hidden maneuvers in fighting.

The ones who had the advantage in this training ground were those with sharp eyes.

Or those who had good control over earth or water elements.

Kakashi stood in the middle of the clearing by a tall boulder – one that towered over him, and one of many that littered the field; along with stray trees that twisted up in strange ways, formed from a life of growing out of hardened ground and at a high altitude. These trees ran all the way around the field, and even went up the sheer cliff side of the waterfall.

Yamato knew who had the advantage in the area. It was suicidal of Kakashi for choosing a fight here, but he also had the feeling that the jounin was no longer in a normal state of mind.

After seeming to meditate on the environment for a good ten minutes, Kakashi finally turned around. The heavy rain plastered his silvery hair down, and made his dark eye seem even darker.

"I believe I told you before that if you were to ever approach Sakura again, I would rip out your tongue and break both of your legs," Kakashi said quietly. Yet, even with the rain and the roar of the waterfall, Yamato could hear every word. Perhaps, it was just his heightened senses in the serious situation.

Yamato could see every motion as if it had been slowed down in time. The very slow movement of Kakashi's gloved hand as he reached up to push away the headband covering his eye, then the way his scarred eye cracked open through the haze of water. The sharingan, with its black tomoes, made for a shocking crimson in an otherwise gray world. Although no technique was being used, it certainly felt as if everything was being sucked into this one eye. There was a throb in the air, and that never-ending, building of a sharpening intensity.

"You slept with Sakura, didn't you?" Kakashi said.

Yamato wondered just how well Kakashi could see him through the haze of rain, or how well he could read his reactions from the great distance between them.

"Did you drag me all the way out here to question me about my love-life, senpai?" the captain asked. All the while, Yamato scanned over the perimeters of the area, searching for anything that could be used to his advantage, silently noting each tree and boulder.

"It's not yours that I'm concerned about. In fact, I really couldn't care less about you at the moment," the jounin admitted softly, his brows were pointed downwards, as if there were something else on his mind. Or rather… someone else.

For some reason this sent a sick sensation through Yamato's stomach. "Then it's your student that you're so worried about, is it?" Even if thinking about Sakura still sent a burn of humiliation through Yamato's system, somehow this thought of Kakashi's fixation over her sickened him even more.

Kakashi had his arms cross, as he meditated over the captain's words. "I only worry for her feelings," he said quietly. "Sakura… she puts up a tough front, but she's the type of person who can get hurt easily."

At that, and unrestrained feeling rose up within Yamato, a sort of disbelief mixed with the disillusion he felt earlier that morning when he realized his fantasy-woman wasn't at all like he thought she would be, and the surprisingly unkind streak he had discovered within Sakura herself.

Yamato stopped scanning the perimeters and settled his eyes on Kakashi. "Believe me, senpai, you don't know the first thing about that girl. There's a nasty streak to her that would use you, unless you're willing to use her back."

Quite suddenly, there was a loud crack in the air, as if all the charges building up to that point had exploded in a loud thunder.

Yamato pulled out a kunai in one smooth motion as he put up a guard, realizing that Kakashi no longer stood in the middle of the clearing, and instead there was a great space where the jounin had occupied before. Sheets of rain made everything unclear, and the captain scanned his eyes over the field again.

And not a moment too soon.

An explosion of rock took over his left side. Yamato was forced to step back to the dodge to falling debris. In that brief moment of distraction, it was impossible to catch the sudden appearance of Kakashi, or block the swift kick to the chest that sent Yamato flying into a tree.

The wood splintered upon impact, crushing beneath his weight. There was a volley of kunai that followed up this kick, but before they could land and cause any harm, Yamato whipped up a quick hand seal and blocked the kunais using a wall of branches from the ground.

"You think I don't know Sakura?" Kakashi said quietly, as he appeared before him, but it was a question not meant to be answered. In the next moment, he was gone, and all sounds became lost again in the rush of the waterfall.

Yamato's head was ringing from the impact of the hit, and the ground was slippery with mud as he stood up, but the captain let none of this deter him from quickly putting up his guard and regaining the offense.

There was a flash of silver to his right, and Yamato knew that the jounin would be in that vicinity. Speed, as he recalled, was always one of the Copy-nin's greatest strengths.

But that was just fine with Yamato, because _his _strong point was pinning down quick bastards who wasted energy by darting around the battle field. If Kakashi's gift was in evasion, then Yamato's was in targeting.

There were trees everywhere, and the whole ground was mud. In all his years, he rarely knew Kakashi to ever make mistakes, but visibility was low, and the field was to Yamato's advantage. Surely, if he just focused enough…

There. Yamato could sense a figure in the distance. Branches shot violently out of the ground, as Yamato directed them towards this lone point, but the moment the square blocks of wood made contact, the figure disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Damn, he was using clones.

Another volley of kunais came his way, all which Yamato blocked, then making a quick calculation, correctly anticipated the attack from behind. More branches shot violently out of the ground, helping him to block a series swipes from the kunai of Kakashi's clone. The hits left deep score marks in the wood, and as the wood wrapped around the clone's arms and legs, this one too, disappeared in another cloud of hazy smoke. Yamato was temporarily blinded.

Then all at once, all motion stopped, as Yamato slammed his palm into the ground. The wet field erupted into a mud trap, sucking everything in from the surface like quicksand. Then after a few moments of sinking, the ground immediately solidified, and Yamato could sense that he managed to trap the true Kakashi on the crest of the field, near the outer perimeter. The jounin must have been terribly distracted in order to fall for something so simple as this.

Approaching the perimeter, Yamato could see that the jounin's feet were trapped in the earth, and a tangle of branches that he shot out netted him down, and wrapped about his body. The rest of the field also looked sunken as every tree and boulder had been lowered a foot into the ground.

Yamato approached the top of the field with a sick feeling in his stomach. To think that he used to respect this man…

"You're a sick bastard, you know that?" Yamato said, crouching down and leveling his gaze with Kakashi's. He avoided looking directly into the sharingan, and instead focused on that one dark eye. It was unnerving how calm the jounin appeared, despite being trapped in such a comprising position. "I never pinned you down as a pervert, and excused you for reading all of that mindless Icha Icha filth for years. But to think… that you would do something so low as obsess over one of your students…"

All at once the wood bindings broke away with a bright explosion and the screeching of birds filled the air. It was the chidori. Yamato could barely capture the flicker of movement as Kakashi brought up the blinding white energy that formed the essence of the lightning technique.

Yamato was floored by the feeling of dread, making all but simple thoughts possible. Rocks couldn't help him here… neither could trees… he had to think quickly… quickly…

Reaching his only option in the time allotted, Yamato formed the hand-seals for the almighty jutsu that would lift the water from the river and redirect the flow directly towards Kakashi. He safely assumed that nothing short of typhoon would be able to stop the jounin while wielding a chidori.

It was then that Yamato suddenly remembered to elemental rule of what would happen when lightning mixed with water.

But it was too late, and the field became rocked by the miniature typhoon.

He leapt out of the way just as the water came crashing down, and he chose a safe spot on the cliffs of the waterfall. The screeching winds roared against his ears, and ground was flooded by the immediate rush, smashing rocks and trees in its wake. Bright sparks of electricity fizzled out of the murky depths and sparked all over the surface at once in a bright blue charge before disappearing altogether, and the water levels sloshed forward before kicking back – reaching almost halfway up the cliffside.

As the dying sparks of electricity crackled away, Yamato quickly formed another series of seal, redirecting the flow of water by creating a series of dams and trenches so that the sudden rush would not wipe out the apartment complexes – and really, the whole village – far below.

Breathing heavily, Yamato doubled over from the exertion of effort, and peered down into the muddy water. A disturbing thought crossed his mind as he watched the murky depths… the one that he might have killed the Copy-nin. Although, perhaps temporarily unhinged at the moment, the jounin was still an important asset to the village, and the idea of actually killing a former friend and colleague didn't sit too well with Yamato. In fact, the whole battle was making him sick.

The water continued to drain down, running down the series of trenches, and returning the field to its original state. Yet as more ground appeared, it became increasingly clear that the jounin's lifeless body was nowhere to be seen.

_Oh god._ He thought. _What if I really did kill him?_

What if his neck had snapped in the blast of water, and his body was floating somewhere down the river?

A slow panic began to take over the captain. Could he really be blame for the murder? Wasn't there some clause that gave defense against killing bat-shit insane people? Would others hate him for killing the beloved jounin? The rain had slowed down to a slow drizzle, allowing for greater visibility, and Yamato walked up and down the cliff's edge, looking for that shock of silver hair that would give away the misplaced jounin's location.

Just then, the cliffs beneath his feet gave way to a low, rattling rumble.

A rumble that increased in intensity and caused small rocks on top of the cliff to shake and tremble, and just as Yamato began to comprehend the magnitude of what was about to happen, a powerful blast of water hit him squarely in the chest and wiped the legs beneath his body. Someone had redirected the flow of the waterfall towards the top of the cliff, and the howling of a typhoon buffeted him back and forth over the cliff's edge.

Yamato was floating through the air.

Then for the second time that day, Yamato found his back being slammed against a tree. Only this time there was a sharp forearm pressing between his neck and collarbone, nearly choking him, and preventing him from moving. His legs felt strange, as the water that had whipped him around like a ragdoll had broken his legs. Sharp pains shot out from his shins and knees, and belatedly, he realized if it weren't for the forearm choking him and holding him up, he would have collapsed straight to the ground.

Hatake Kakashi stood before him, for all intents and purposes, looking as if he just climbed out of Konoha's coldest and filthiest river. Mud covered the bottom half of his clothing and his hair and uniform were drenched in cold water. His mask was down and he was panting heavily, almost as if _he _was the one who would give out at any moment.

He had also lost his vest and headband somewhere along the way revealing his strong but agile form, and as Yamato looked into the dark crimson of the sharingan, he realized that he had just been copied out by the Copy-nin, and that Yamato's special jutsu that could control waterfalls and create miniature typhoons had now been added to Kakashi's thousand-some collection of techniques.

"It's not something as low as _that_," the jounin said quietly.

At this, Yamato thought Kakashi might have been talking to himself, before realizing he was only continuing their conversation from before.

"This thing I feel for Sakura… it's not something so low and disgusting, as… as…" Kakashi suddenly stopped, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. When he opened his eyes there was certainly a calmer look to them. "You have no idea how many nights I've spent awake thinking over this, Tenzou."

At this, Yamato could only marvel at the sudden change in the Kakashi. For now he was no longer the deadly partially-mad opponent, or even the typical Kakashi he was used to seeing around the village on a day to day basis, but instead had reverted back to the likes of the Anbu captain he once feared and admired so many years before. That one shining example Yamato had chased after, and tried to emulate all his life.

In that moment he could only feel a deep respect.

As he focused in on to Kakashi's words, the shooting pains in his legs faded away to the back of his mind.

"It's true that I care about her… probably more than I should, and I'm overly protective too, but I can't pin it down to a single reason why. This thing goes beyond just being her sensei, or enjoying her company. These feelings. It's tortuous. I want to be closer to Sakura, but I can never get close enough because the _damn boundaries_ are always there."

Yamato's throat felt incredibly dry at this confession, and a sort of blank, dumb-founded feeling filled his mind.

"So you can understand why I might get upset with a guy suddenly shows up and tries to get close to Sakura in a ways that I can't, and instead of appreciating the situation, hurts her feelings in horrible, unspeakable ways, despite the fact that I warn this guy _multiple times_ to stay the _fuck_ away from her." At this Kakashi punctuated his words by slamming Yamato into the tree all over again.

A few splinters fell to the puddles on the ground.

"Why couldn't you just tell me all this before?" Yamato choked out, in a raspy voice. Kakashi eased up on the pressure on his neck.

"You think this is easy?" Kakashi asked.

"Well, you could have saved us both a lot of trouble."

"…I know."

A long silence.

"Oh my god," Yamato finally said, following a long string of thoughts, and letting the words tumble from his mouth. "You've fallen in love with her, haven't you?"

Instead of confirming or denying this confession, Kakashi let his head drop slowly with a heavy sigh then let go of Yamato. The sharp shooting pains returned, and Yamato instantly fell to the ground, unable to support his weight with his legs, his vision became blurry in a way that had nothing to do with the pain, and had more to do with the cloud of smoke that suddenly appeared before him.

When the smoke cleared, it became obvious that Kakashi was no longer around.

And as Yamato sat on top of the ruined field with shattered rocks and trees, and ruined waterfall, only two thoughts crossed his mind:

One, he was glad Kakashi didn't rip his tongue out.

And two, men in love were bat-shit insane.

Yamato collapsed to his back, spreading his arms out and gazing up at the wide gray sky, thinking how, he too, might inevitably fall to that deteriorating state someday.

The state where all logic ceased and only the illogical made sense, and people became so out of control, so unhinged, and so desperately focused on one single thing that it bordered on the realm of the frightening.

And if being in love meant giving away all control to such an uncertain, frightening thing, then Yamato was certain that he would never give himself over to love.

But love was a deep topic meant for the philosophers, and rather than focus on such profound thoughts, Yamato decided to reflect on more practical and immediate things… such as how the hell was he going to get back to the village? His legs were broken, he was stuck in the mud, unable to move, and felt completely vulnerable.

It was rather uncomfortable.

* * *

The sound of rain from above ground became a muted roar in the tunnels. The light bulbs wired along the wall gave an occasional odd flicker, casting strange shadows about the narrow area. Sakura was all too aware of the quiet hum of electricity running through the wires, and of the slight echo whenever she or Sasuke took a breath.

"We need to talk… that's how you started off our last conversation," Sakura said wryly. "And as I recall, that one didn't go so well." She cracked her knuckles menacingly.

Sasuke nodded his head, then lazily pushed away from the wall. "Then I'll get right to the point… were you the one who told Hinata to break off the engagement?"

Sakura froze, eyes widening with surprise, "Hinata broke off the engagement?"

"As if you didn't know," the Uchiha said coolly. He regarded her with a hooded gaze.

"I really didn't."

Sasuke's frown deepened. "Hinata spoke to her father, Hyuuga Hiashi. She spouted off nonsense how I used you, and took advantage of you in the past. She said that I was not a serious person, a womanizer, and a '_really, really horrible guy'_. Are you trying to tell me that you knew nothing about this?"

Sakura placed a hand on her hip, and could only say, "It's about time she told you to shove off."

"You fed her those words."

"She would have figured them out on her own anyway."

"You _knew _how important this engagement was for me…"

Sakura had to stop herself from shouting something ridiculous like '_And you knew how much our relationship meant to me!'_

"I suppose you sent Naruto down to the Hyuuga estate, as well," Sasuke continued.

For some reason this last comment filled Sakura with a small sense of glee. She couldn't help the way the corner of her mouth tugged upward in a smirk. "Naruto would have _eventually_ figured things out on his own, too."

But her amusement wiped away the moment Sasuke stepped forward. He crowded her with his overwhelming presence. The seriousness of his gaze choked the breath away from her lungs, and for a moment she felt trapped as he pressed her close to the cement wall.

It was painful being so close again. Sakura could immediately feel her body heating up. Her heart was beating loudly in her ears, and belatedly, she realized it was not just her heart alone that she heard speed up. She didn't know if it was from adrenaline, or fear, or perhaps just remembered desire… but it became impossible to think the moment Sasuke dragged a finger down her cheek and jaw line. His hips kept her pinned against the wall.

"Do you remember, Sakura…" he asked in a breathy whisper. "What it used to be like?"

He might as well have punched her in the head for all the shock he sent through her system just then. Sakura brain was sending out mixed signals, telling her to either lash out in anger, or give in to that weak desire that told her to stray a little longer beneath that familiar touch…

"I remember," Sasuke murmured softly, stroking her cheek again. "I never told you this before, Sakura, but you're so beautiful. Just thinking about you gets me so hot, and sometimes it seems like you're the only person in the world who knows what I'm thinking–"

The wall behind them exploded in a crumble of dust and cement. There was a deafening noise as the wall and ceiling caved in and nearby light bulbs shattered off their wires, from the force of being dragged down the walls. Suddenly, there was a wide hole in the wall where Sakura had made contact with her fist – and a wide hole in the ceiling above where the rest of the cement had crumbled in.

It took only a moment for the dust cloud to disappear as gentle rain fell into the hole of the tunnel's ceiling from above, and immediately begin to cover the ground in water. There was a new natural light source that lit up the dark area, and on the other side of the rubble Sakura could see where Sasuke had leaped away to avoid her powerful punch.

"You could have killed me…" Sasuke said, both of his sharingan had been activated, and were swirling slowly in the darkness.

Sakura let out a shaky breath. "Don'ttouch me… ever again… do you hear me? What makes you even think you even have that right to touch me like that anymore?"

Sasuke crossed his arms coolly. "That's a bit rich. From what I hear, you've been throwing yourself around Team Seven like a desperate whore."

Sakura wanted to scream. Only Sasuke could make her hurt this bad only after using such few words. Her eyes began to prickle up with water, and there was a hard lump in her throat. She knew what he said wasn't true, but she couldn't help the way her fists were beginning to shake. He was poison. Completely toxic to her person. "Get out…" she said quietly.

"This isn't your house."

"It doesn't matter!" Sakura shouted. "Can't you see? You used me, Sasuke! What you did was horrible, horrible thing, and now I can't even stand the sight of you."

"You're being unreasonable."

"I used to _love _you."

"You don't even know the true meaning love," Sasuke said coolly.

"And neither do you…"

"We weren't in the relationship for love anyway."

Sakura considered Sasuke's words for a moment, feeling the fresh sear in her chest they left behind. "I used to let you stay at my house, cook for you, clean your clothes, plan my schedule around yours, and _sleep_ with you. I always put your concerns over mine… "

"I never asked you to do any of those things."

"But _dammit_, Sasuke! You knew how I felt for you, and took complete advantage of the situation… If you can't see that what you did was wrong, then—"

"What? I'll never be happy? I'll never accomplish my goals…? Are you saying that you never used another person before? Nobody's blameless, Sakura."

Sakura ignored him. "I think I'm beginning to understand now," she said slowly. "That nothing I could have done… would ever have been good enough for you."

Sasuke finally let out a frustrated sigh. "Enough…"

"Enough," Sakura agreed. She drew up a fist and slammed it into the ground.

The cement instantly shattered beneath the hit, sending powerful shockwaves throughout the rest of the tunnel, uprooting the ground and caving in the walls. There was only one way out to escape from being trapped.

As planned, Sasuke made a leap for the opening of the ceiling, and Sakura quickly followed after. Just in time to avoid the crush of a hundred tons of cement, and the danger of shattering light bulbs and loose electrical wires. She could hear the hiss and fizzing below as she made her escape, and see the smoke rising out of the opening.

The whole area above ground had been changed into an uneven and rocky terrain in the upheaval, with odd edges of the broken cement sticking out. Sakura was forced to land lightly and re-balance her feet on the uneven rubble. The air was filled with the dust and debris of the destroyed tunnel, but with the light rain, the air slowly cleared away.

Sasuke was standing on the very top of a thin steel rod – one of many used in the original skeletal support structure of the passageways – and watching her closely with two dark red eyes.

"You've gone mad," Sasuke said simply.

"No, I'm perfectly sane," she said, in the calmest voice she could muster.

Through the sharingan she looked like a beacon. A bright flare of blue chakra, blazing to the sky like a flame, and only becoming more intense with each passing second.

Inside her body, on a more detailed level, a thousand different neurons were firing across the synapses of her brain and sending signal to her body, telling her heart to beat faster and for the muscles in her right arm to tense up and prepare itself for ungodly release of power.

Sasuke knew to anticipate another attack, and he withdrew his vision just in time to catch Sakura drawing back her fist in preparation to ram it into his face.

He instantly evaded the hit by disappearing to the other side of the clearing. He landed on the new rubble with ease, and was able to watch as Sakura agilely whipped back around – damp pink hair moving with the motion of her head, with each raindrop lashing back from the speed, and the movement of her green eyes as they quickly targeted-in on his new location.

There was murder in her eyes. Vivid anger. The type that could burn souls with one intense look, and said that there was no limit to how far she was willing to go to satiate that call for blood.

Vaguely, Sasuke wondered if she would be capable of really killing him in that moment.

But murder was not what Sakura was after. With fists clenched and voice wavering with emotion, she broke down. "I don't want to hate you, Sasuke," she said. "But unless you're willing to look at the things you've done… I don't ever want to talk to you again… or see you again…"

"Ridiculous…" was all Sasuke muttered, under his breath.

The dust had finally settled.

"I had enough," she snapped. "_Leave!" _Those words were the only warning before she lifted her foot up in a blinding light of chakra and slammed it back into the ground.

Shockwaves rippled through the ground, shooting out from her heel, and the world exploded in another chaotic rush cement and debris, with a majority of the impact heading straight toward Sasuke's location, ending in a thunder-loud clap.

But the Uchiha had taken heed, and left before her foot had ever hit the ground.

The dust slowly settled down. She was alone now.

Sakura suddenly bent over, exhausted by the rapid use of chakra, and high tension of confronting her ex-lover.

There was only so far you could push a kunoichi before she reached her breaking point.

Sakura slowly sank down in her spot. It was as if all the stress and emotional upheavals of the past few days had finally caught up to Sakura, and the burden of the weight was so heavy that it dragged her down so that she could no longer stand or take another single step. She was weary.

Her vision blurred and she could not fight the painful lump in her throat.

The first sob escaped with a choke. Much like a hiccup

Then another.

And soon Sakura found herself crying among the ruins, with the sound of rain covering the noise. She gently rocked herself back and forth in a self-comforting motion, as she cried through all her feelings. But she did not feel guilty or self-conscious over this act. All she could do was to let the tears and sobs take its course, until they stopped on their own accord.

It felt as if her heart was tearing into two, as her old self and new self divided.

By this time tomorrow, she would be a completely different person.

* * *

The streets were empty this time of night. With the shine of the street lamps and fresh puddles from the rain, the world held an amber glow. Everything had a clean glimmer, and only the quiet smack of sandals against wet ground filled the air.

All of the stalls and food stands were closed. With abandoned stalls, tables and chairs, and benches, the world was like a small wonderland… a miniature playground for those who traveled around the village like ghosts, and haunted Konoha's streets during its darkest hours.

Kakashi trudged forward wearily. He found Sakura in a food stand, sitting at one of the empty stools and leaning against the countertop as she gazed out on to at the slick streets, and stared out into the glimmering world.

He had been searching for her all day.

"Mind if I take a seat?" he asked.

Sakura turned up her pale, tired face, and her green eyes widened in surprise at his appearance. Kakashi had not changed since earlier that day. With no vest or headband, and clothes still caked in mud, he was probably a sight to see.

In that brief moment their eyes met each other's. A foggy memory resurfaced.

_If something was bothering you… you would tell me, right?_

_Sure._

Sakura blinked and turned away. "I'd rather take a walk. I've been sitting here all night."

Although tired, Kakashi obligingly agreed, and waited as Sakura slipped off the stool and made her way around the counter. Once she was on the pathway, they headed towards the upper part of town, easily falling into step, as they had many times before.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" Kakashi said.

"Yeah, something like that… I had things on my mind," Sakura muttered, then she shot a glance up towards her taller companion. "…and you?"

"Same thing."

"Hm, I see." Then Sakura let out a wide yawn.

They walked in silence after that, moving about from one part of the glowing world to another. They passed by silent trees, with raindrops that glittered in the night. Everything had a special shine in the stillness, and all the familiar sights they knew had a subtle change about them, and seemed not familiar at all.

_If something were ever truly bothering you…_

…_Of course. Haven't I always before?_

They walked through an alleyway and ended up behind the food stands. Kakashi pulled up behind one of the many stands and stopped. Sakura paused next to him, wondering what it was about the blank wall that formed the backing to the stands that held his attention. All she could see were the many graffitied things carved into the wood that had been left by other people and hooligans who passed this way before.

They were shaded in this area, though she could still see the glow from the street just beyond.

They area was muddy, and Sakura was aware of the puddle next to her sandals. In the shallow surface rippled their distorted reflections.

Kakashi was gazing off at the distant street. There was a deep and thoughtful look on his face, as if he were meditating on some complex problem. She could not even fathom what this problem might be.

"Sakura, there's something I want to tell you."

He finally tore his gaze away from the street lamps, and with light fingers on her elbows, gently turned her around so that she stood by the wall.

There was a serious look on his face, and a heaviness in his voice that Sakura had not heard before. "Are you finally going to talk about what's been bothering you yesterday?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, hooking a finger into his mask and dragging it down. "I'm going to tell you everything."

He revealed the handsome features of his face, just as Sakura had seen him do many times before. Except this time, his mouth was turned down in a serious frown. Sakura could feel her stomach lurch from the painful strain she heard in his voice. Kakashi closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, he regarded her with a dark, mismatched gaze.

Sakura could see black tomoes of his sharingan swirling around in a slow calm. He seemed so tranquil, more so than she had seen him in a long time… and the way he looked at her made it seem as if he were meditating on the lines of her face.

Kakashi let out a sigh. "Here's my problem…" he finally said. "The thing is… I see you as more than just my student."

"What do you mean by… more?" Sakura asked, tilting her head, pink hair following her movement. She didn't like the way his eyes slid shut just then, as if he were fighting some private inner battle.

"I mean like this…" He suddenly leaned in, and Sakura froze, green eyes widening in surprise.

The jounin bent down then until their noses were inches apart. Sakura could feel the slow flutter of butterflies start up in her stomach as Kakashi slowly drew in. From the side, their faces were like dark silhouettes. Each second stretching out like a century, until the light in the distance between them disappeared as their mouths finally made contact.

His lips somehow seemed soft and magnetic, and gently coaxing. There was warmth in hands as they slowly ran up and down her arms, and on to her hips. As he pressed in deeper Sakura could feel her knees go weak and beginning to give way. Sakura found herself gripping on to the wall from behind to hold herself up.

Then they separated – the golden moment shattered. Sakura, with her heart beating wildly from the sudden and overwhelming mix of shock and confusion... Then Kakashi, looking calm as ever as he placed his hands on her hips.

Sakura was breathing heavily, mouth slightly parted as she let all of the emotions sink in. All the while, Kakashi slowly let his head drop to her shoulder, letting it rest there near the juncture of her neck, and quietly breathed in her scent. Exhaustion – it seemed – had finally taken its toll on the Copy-nin.

Yet, the way he acted didn't seem to be in the way of a new-found lover.

Instead, the way Kakashi had looked at her, as if memorizing her face; and touched her with longing hands, as if for the first and last time; and now quiet way he breathed in her scent… it was all in the way of a person expecting to be forced to say goodbye.

And this thought, a very painful feeling squeezed at Sakura's chest. She suddenly reached out, needing to touch him, and hold him from going, feeling the soft material of his shirt just beneath her fingers.

"Is this what really has been bothering you…?" she asked in a choked voice. That painful feeling in her chest was increasing, as if her heart was being given a hard squeeze. The feeling was raw and tender… but so beautiful in the pain.

"Yes," he said, letting out a soft sigh.

His breath stirred the hairs along the back of her neck, sending a pleasant rush down her spine.

She was almost certain that the hot moisture in her eyes in tears. Sakura thought she had already cried her eyes out earlier that day, but it would seem that there were more tears in reserve, threatening to spill out as these new strong feelings battered around her consciousness.

"Kakashi, look at me…" she demanded quietly.

Kakashi slowly lifted his head from her shoulder, and once his face was high enough, Sakura leaned in, pressing her lips to his – needing to feel him, taste him again. She marveled at how easily their mouths molded together, and enjoyed the slow burn of pleasure with each warm slide of their lips.

It's as if they were connected, and their thoughts were together. There was a familiarity between them that went down deep, and built up from every single moment of the past.

She dug her fingers into his silvery hair, feeling the softness, then lightly dragged her nails down the back of Kakashi's head and neck, eliciting a soft groan.

This time when they separated, they were both panting, and rested their heads together. Kakashi's grip around Sakura's waist had tightened, and Sakura kept her hands wrapped around his neck in a strong grip as if she never wanted let go.

Here was the companionship she was looking for all along. Right in front of her this whole time…

Sakura wasn't completely sure what had taken place, but she only knew through her weariness she felt giddy and light-headed, and that every moment she spent kissing Kakashi made the pain in her heart fade away a little bit more.

The hard barrier around Sakura's heart had finally broken, and what was left in its place was something clean and new, and incredibly fragile…

When Sakura invited Kakashi back to her place later that night, they collapsed in exhaustion, and fell asleep in each other's arms. Close by, as they had done in missions before, except they were touching now, and Sakura's head tucked beneath Kakashi's chin.

They would sleep well into the morning.

* * *

A/N: The next chapter is called… _Silver Lining._ In which there will be much KakaSaku loving, as well as other treats and surprises. And no, this next update will _not _take two months. In fact, it might be here sooner than you realize. ;)


	10. Silver Lining

A/N: Welcome to the smut chapter. For those sensitive to things of the sexual nature, proceed with caution.

* * *

**Winner Takes All**

_Chapter Ten : Silver Lining_

* * *

_I've found that silver lining,_

_Here beside me all this time._

_I never knew, I never imagined..._

_That you would be the one._

* * *

If there was only one moment Kakashi could take with him for the rest of eternity, it would be this one in the serene quiet of Sakura's bed. The wind blew so gently against the house that the aged frames hardly made a sound. It was whisper quiet, and only the shuffle of blankets filled the tranquil air as Sakura shifted around in her sleep. Every time one of her smooth legs brushed against his shins, Kakashi tightened his grip around her waist in surprise from the sheer novelty of the sensation.

Her firm back pressed against Kakashi's front in the most delicious way, and he could feel every dip and curve of her body. Sakura's slender frame fit perfectly in his arms. Which was something he marveled at through his haze of exhaustion. Her every heartbeat was a light flutter compared to his own. Watching her chest rise and fall with each breath somehow made it easier for him to breathe too. It was simply heaven being able to finally hold Sakura in his arms, and bask in the in the feeling of comfort and raw familiarity.

If someone had told Kakashi long ago that he would one day lay in Sakura's bed… and feel nothing but absolute bliss as he held her in a way that was beyond appropriate protocol for sensei and student, he would have thought that person criminally insane.

Now, however, Kakashi focused on that halo of pink before his vision. So close. Her scent overwhelmed his senses. He was lost in the wonderful smell. Sharp and sweet, with the underlying hint of sweat, and the fragrance of her shampoo. So strong that he could almost taste it on his tongue and in the back of throat. The rain water had long evaporated from their skin, but some dampness had remained and soaked from their clothes into the sheets, and a bits of caked mud crumbled away with every movement.

But having a bit of nature with them in the bed was not so different from actually sleeping outside on the forest ground. Except this time they had the luxury of a mattress, and the close proximity of each other to keep warm. With Sakura's quilted blanket wrapped tight around them, a delicious heat had built up between their bodies, erasing all other discomfort that came from their messy states. In this moment, the two ninjas only knew comfort and warmth.

Sakura stirred in her sleep again, rubbing an impossibly smooth leg against Kakashi's shins. The leg went up slowly creating a wonderful friction, paused, then slowly went back down. This time a small leap jolted through Kakashi's stomach and a pleasant buzz went through his head, but the faint ebb of arousal was short lived and faded away a moment after Sakura stopped. The more prominent feelings of exhaustion and soreness from muscle overuse returned.

"You're doing that on purpose," he said.

Sakura went completely still. Kakashi could just imagine the stunned and guilty expression on her face. The type a person gave whenever caught red-handed in doing what they once thought was a secret and devious act.

She rolled around, messy pink hair tumbling around her face, and placed a small distance between them… much to Kakashi's chagrin. But the moment her eyes flicked up to his, all thoughts of discontent blew away. Her eyes were green and lovely to Kakashi, with an underlying hint of intelligence. Exactly the type of eyes he could find himself waking up to every morning. Just the very idea filled him with a satisfaction he could not explain.

Sakura regarded him with a sleepy gaze. Kakashi knew he was already in love.

"Can you really blame me?" she asked. "For me this is all very unreal."

"So, rubbing yourself all over me makes it more _real_?" he teased.

A hot blush crept over the features of her face, and she rolled over to hide her embarrassment with a huff. Perhaps, she was in no mood for teasing. Which was strange, considering the fact that she had invited him into her home, into her bed, and had been the one to brush her smooth, smooth legs against his. The first two Kakashi could attribute to exhaustion – since they both felt ready to collapse after the events of the day, and the moment they fell into bed they became dead to the world. The last one, however, he could attribute nothing more than an act of pure indulgence.

"You're an idiot…" Sakura mumbled, voice drifting through the dark.

Kakashi's only response was to pull her close again, arms wrapping tight about her waist. When she stiffened in resistance he brought a hand to her hair, pulling her head back with a light tug so that he could place a tender kiss to her throat. Hot lips to sensitive skin.

Sakura shivered, then relaxed once more.

A sleepy silence filled the air. Then there was a long moment before her voice drifted past his ears. "Kakashi, how long have you wanted me?"

Kakashi let out a thoughtful hum, and a deft hand found its way to Sakura's exposed shoulder, and gently traced the layer of dirt on her skin there. With the smell of nature and sweat she held the scent of missions and forest floors. A light scent he found intoxicating.

"Impossible to say. Maybe a year." At least, that's how long he had known.

"A year…" Sakura did the logistics in her head. "I was just beginning to date Sasuke then."

"In all fairness. I think I've liked you longer than Sasuke."

"Yes, but you didn't say anything," Sakura shot back tetchily.

Well, he had his reasons. Sakura was enamored with Sasuke at that point, and Kakashi had been in strict denial over his feelings. His conviction would not have been nearly strong enough to pry Sakura away from the Uchiha, or provoke an ugly situation that would no doubt have blown up in his face. But that did not mean that Kakashi still didn't have his regrets. Perhaps, if he had just said something more. Acted something more. Maybe, if Sakura had paused for a moment to send a glance in _his _direction, then perhaps…

"I don't think you would have listened," Kakashi finally concluded. It was the painful truth.

Sakura was silent for a long time after that, as Kakashi continued to lightly stroke and trace patterns along her skin. Content with being able to finally to feel and touch the woman who had been out of his reach for so long. His every breath stirred past the shell of her ear. There was the memory of sand and warm beaches. The first time she began to recognize his chakra, and memorize the features of his face.

"No, I would have listened," Sakura said. Her voice was barely a whisper. "I still think you should have tried."

She confessed everything to Kakashi when she was younger, and Kakashi revealed things to her about himself to her that no other villager or person would ever have the privilege to know. They poured out their souls.

Kakashi always protected her form the dark things of the world, while encouraging her to become stronger. Sakura saved his life and spent time mending him more times than she could count.

They had become teammates. Partners. Close confidents.

If Kakashi had said something, especially something that had to do with relationships and emotions, she would have hung on to his every word. She would have cared. Oh, how she would have cared. Even if there was nothing but shock and confusion when she realized the feelings had to do with _her_; but the shock would have worn off, and the confusion would have smoothed away with the first kiss.

There lay the _real_ painful truth. They had danced around what either of them really wanted. All that wasted time.

"I'm sorry," Kakashi murmured. He brushed his lips to her neck again, enjoying the feel of her pulse. "I should have said something sooner. Before you ever said yes to the Uchiha. Before you could even _think _about him."

"I'm the one who's sorry," Sakura said. This answer was always so obvious. No words should have been necessary.

Kakashi remained unimpressed. "There's no way you could have known how I felt."

"No… but…" She took a moment to stretch out, feeling the warmth of Kakashi's body in the bed, and the comfortable weight of his arm across her waist. Kakashi was not wearing his long-sleeve shirt. He lost that in the river. So, Sakura could see the faint scratches and bruises along his arms. Her mind caught on this small detail before jumping back to the conversation at hand. There had actually been a million ways of knowing. Sakura just couldn't articulate them all.

"Wait a minute…" Sakura said, after collecting her thoughts. "I've had a crush on Sasuke since the academy days. Are you saying you've had an eye out for me since I was twelve?"

Well, honestly no. That was ridiculous, but Kakashi couldn't resist teasing.

"I must be a pervert," Kakashi said.

Sakura's nose wrinkled in disgust, but then she took the time to roll back over and poke him in the chest. "Yes, but you're not _that _kind of pervert."

"Are there different types of perverts?" he mused.

"Yes. You're the type who likes getting into his student's pants," Sakura said, simply. The hand used to poke him was now trailing down his chest, and her eyes became fixed on the muscles that could be seen through the tight undershirt.

A low rumble emitted from Kakashi's throat. "Give me a few months and I'll find my way into Naruto and Sasuke's beds, too."

"Better not," Sakura muttered darkly. "You're mine now."

Kakashi felt a distinct pleasure at hearing that. Her mouth was turned into a frown he felt obligated to kiss away. Lips connected, dizzying desire. A heated exchange. Within moments his hands began to wander up and down her body as she melted beneath his touch.

"Good," he said, whispering softly against her ear.

And that's all either of them needed to know.

* * *

Kakashi woke up to the sounds of Sakura showering. The low dip in the bed next to him felt cold and empty. Bright daylight poured through the window, telling Kakashi it was sometime around the afternoon, and revealing the plain walls and wooden floors of Sakura's modest house. Everything had a comfortable, aged feel, Kakashi thought. Even down to the quilted blanket that covered the bed. He ran his hands over the patterned squares, the colors were so washed out that he wondered if Sakura had kept the blanket since childhood. Nothing went to waste, he noted, and every detail from the outfits and stacked scrolls in the closet, to the simple dresser and mirror in the corner somehow struck him as quintessentially _Sakura_.

As Kakashi propped himself up on his elbows, he noticed the dirt crumbling away from his pants. He wondered if he should sneak away to his apartment for a change of clothes and shower, or if he should let Sakura know he was leaving. The idea of giving her a goodbye kiss sounded very appealing. The water to the bathroom shut off, and Kakashi didn't have to wait long before the answer to his question appeared.

Sakura walked into the room, clad only in a towel.

For a moment Kakashi's mind went blank. Her hair was damp, and a few shades darker than the pink roseate he knew it to be. Drops of water dotted the skin of her shoulders, arms, and collarbones; and on the legs Kakashi had felt so intimately last night. The thin towel kept her covered, but left little to the imagination and Kakashi's eyes roamed freely back and forth as he took in the rare sight.

"The shower is free," Sakura said, thrusting a thumb over her shoulder.

Oh, no, no, no. Tempting. But no… that wouldn't be a good idea at all. Kakashi knew that if he stayed any longer things would no doubt find a way of escalating beyond his control. His mouth felt incredibly dry. To be honest, he was surprised he had the restraint _not _to rip her clothes off last night, considering how intimately they embraced. Perhaps exhaustion had something to do with that self-control.

However, now they were rested. But even if there were a thousand nameless things Kakashi wanted to do to her—like push her against the wall, whisper delicious things in her ear, or blindfold her with the forehead protector hanging in the closet—even _he _thought things were moving rather fast for having just confessed, and poured out all his feelings the night before.

There was no time for the situation to process. He took a deep breath.

"I'll go to my place," Kakashi said. "It'll be better if I leave."

"If you drop your pants and shirt outside the bathroom door, I'll take care of it," Sakura insisted. "There's no need for you to go."

Kakashi rubbed the stubble across his chin. "I need a shave…"

"There's an extra razor out there for you."

"I also need a towel."

"Kakashi… I have plenty of towels."

"You've probably used up all of the hot water."

"Now you're making up excuses."

"Sakura…"

"Please," she finally pleaded. "Stay."

And that's all she needed to say.

It was not often that Sakura asked him for something. As far as Kakashi could remember, she had always been the most self-reliant one. Well, there was that one time in Ame when she was out of cash and asked Kakashi to buy her dango. She was craving it, she said. Then another time a year ago when she wanted Kakashi to teach her the secrets of an earth-styled jutsu. If he recalled correctly, that incident had something to do with making tunnels and hiding from Tsunade on bad days.

She used similar tactics then, a simple direct question, appealing to Kakashi in the way the request showed no vulnerability, and she rarely asked for things. Even knowing this, Kakashi felt his will-power slowly slip away.

"Fine," he said, quietly. What could one shower hurt?

Sakura gave him a small smile. The corner of her lips turned up in the most beguiling way. Kakashi couldn't help but echo back her sentiments, even if his version was a much more reluctant shadowy quirk of his mouth.

In the bathroom, Kakashi ran a hand over the rough stubble of his cheek. The room was immaculately clean. As if it had been scrubbed for days on end. At seeing the shine white ceramic of the sink, he gingerly stepped in and wondered if Sakura had some hidden compulsive disorder he didn't know about, but the extra cleanliness seemed so uncharacteristic from the rest of the house he found that idea difficult to believe. Just another small mystery about Sakura he had discovered. Another intriguing aspect to string him along and drive him wild with curiosity in the many days to come.

Kakashi stripped off his pants and shirt, leaving them outside the door. The razor and extra towel were there as promised, but the handle to the razor was hot pink… undoubtedly one of Sakura's preferred brands. Steam and the fragrance of shampoo still lingered in the air, fogging up the mirror. Kakashi took his time cleaning up, while trying not to think too hard about the fact that Sakura's naked body stood in the exact same spot he stood just moments before, but it was losing battle, and difficult to keep his imagination from trailing down a dirty but familiar road.

There were strands of pink hair stuck on the shower tiles. A peculiar trait that struck Kakashi as so human it almost hurt. It boggled his mind to think that the basic scents that made up her unique signature could all be found here within the space of this small area. It was almost overwhelming, as Sakura's intoxicating scent seemed to permeate from the very walls. It did blissful and dizzying things to his mind.

Oh, yes. Very blissful things. Kakashi wondered if he stumbled into a strange, new sort of heaven. One that involved an endless array of soaps, shampoos, and conditioners. It was a far cry from the lonely bar of soap at his apartment.

A long time later after letting the water run cold, wrapping a towel about his waist, and shaving his face clean, Kakashi took a peek outside the doorway. Curious of what method Sakura may have pulled to clean off his mud-caked clothing in such record time. All he found instead was the bare floor of the hallway. It would appear that Sakura was either not finished, or had gone off and taken his clothes hostage.

Well, the little minx.

"Sakura," he called. There was no response. He glanced around the bedroom and living room, feeling the cool air on his chest.

To his credit, he did not jump when he found Sakura there waiting for him, perched on the armrest of the couch, looking very much like a cat waiting for her prey. Her eyes lingered for a long time on his form. Kakashi coolly regarded her back.

"You have cuts and bruises all over your body," she observed.

Kakashi didn't even bother to look down. "I got them yesterday during a small scuffle."

Sakura made a small sound of disbelief. "Is this the same scuffle that made lose your forehead protector, vest, long-sleeve shirt, and resulted you being covered head-to-toe in mud?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

A pause.

"I thought you were just mobbed by more rodents on the training ground."

"Not quite," Kakashi said. Then another pause. "I mean—yes. Yes that's exactly what happened."

Instead of explaining further, Kakashi waved it all away with a lazy hand. "You have a bruise on your cheek," he pointed out. His eyes lingered on the mark, ever vigilant and perceptive.

Remaining expressionless, Sakura healed the bruise away. She missed it in the shower. Neither were willing to bridge the gap, or drag out the question of what the other was doing the night before, all explanations could wait for a later time. After all, time was the most precious commodity they had.

She patted the seat next to her on the couch. "Let me heal you."

Kakashi leveled her with a stare. "Where are my pants?"

"I hid them," Sakura replied, with equal calm. "You can have them back _after _I heal you."

There were many, many reasons why this would have been a bad idea. As if Kakashi didn't feel exposed enough without his mask on. That combined with the fact Sakura was looking very pretty with her damp pink hair, and had that soapy fragrance that Kakashi would always blame for clouding his judgment. A towel wrapped about his waist was not going to stop him from jumping Sakura's bones. But it was a useless battle. Sakura was watching him with lowered green gaze, and he knew the quickest way out of this situation was to comply with her wishes.

Well, he supposed he could overturn the house to search for his clothes, going through every nook and cranny to outsmart his clever student, but who really wanted to do that now? His conscious was surprisingly quiet at the moment, and that soft feeling that usually tortured him at any other time became his guide and urged him on. He felt as if he was being pulled forward by an invisible string wrapped around his ribs. He approached the couch warily, walking over.

Sakura flicked him a small smile. Kakashi thought he might have seen something else there, but it passed too quickly to catch. This girl was determined, and alarm bells rang out in his head. Kakashi blithely ignored the warning signs.

"Let me see your arm."

Kakashi held out his right arm; the one with the most scratches and bruises. His sore muscles protested the action, but silenced the moment Sakura's soothing chakra worked through his body, wiping away even the smallest pain. Ever in control, even Kakashi could not help the small sigh that tore away from his lips at the wonderful sensation.

Sakura went through his hurts, one by one. Her brows furrowed as she took on the task with complete concentration. She let her hands hover, inches above the skin, to take care of the other dark bruises along his body as well. Then she stopped, and without further explanation, pulled Kakashi down to the couch and straddled his lap.

A few things became apparent to Kakashi in that moment.

One, Sakura had no intention of letting him escape over the next few hours. And two, Sakura was not wearing any bindings beneath her red shirt. Nor much of anything else for that matter. Taking a peek below, Kakashi caught a glimpse of Sakura's creamy thighs from underneath the skirt she wore over her black shorts. Except, she was not wearing her shorts, and her panties were gone at that moment too. He wasn't sure how he had missed those obvious details before.

He sat in mild shock at Sakura's boldness as she ran her slender hands over his chest. Each of his stomach muscles rippled and twitched beneath her touch. Fine coarse hairs dusted against her fingers as she gently explored his warm skin. Like an artist molding her clay.

Kakashi could already feel himself responding, and knew she could feel him too.

"Sakura…" he warned.

"Shh. I'm not done yet," Sakura said. She summoned chakra to her hands as she ran over the cuts and bruises of his torso. Kakashi was aware of how her thighs slid and brushed over his lap. Without shorts or underwear, there was nothing to catch or create friction. There was only Sakura's weight as she straddled his middle and moved to reach behind his neck.

His conscious, which left before, returned to make one final stand. "You realize that if we continue… there will be no going back. What happens, happens. Are you sure that's what you want?"

"I want this." Sakura reassured him, but said it so quietly that the words hardly registered as she murmured them against his ear.

Kakashi took a grip around her waist, resting his hands lightly on her hips. "There's no need to rush…" he began. He struggled to piece his thoughts together, but found he was only half-dedicated to coming up with an argument. As if on their own accord, his thumbs unconsciously began to rub small circles over her thighs.

"Believe me," Sakura said with conviction. "This is something that should have happened a long time ago, and if I could change everything, I would go back in time so we could share this sooner."

Kakashi slowly meditated on Sakura's words.

Her hands continued to roam, each brush sending a cascade of tingles along every inch she touched, along stomach and chest, but her hands were light and brief making each rush fade the moment she moved on to the next subject of her examination.

Kakashi could see the movement of her hands on his chest. Feel the slight rake of her nails as she sometimes traced down an interesting scar or an outline of muscle, or the warm pleasure that would shoot through his entire body as Sakura lazily brushed one stray thumb over an overly hard nipple.

The last action made Kakashi emit a low groan as the fading pleasure continued to spark and dance in his vision. His lower back tensed, and it became difficult to relax as something primal awoke through his veins. He was aware of how his thumbs stopped moving, and grip tightened around Sakura's thighs, as each stroke and marvelous touch of her hands sent him a little further along the edge.

Sakura, on the other hand, had a far off look on her face. One that was deep and thoughtful. He had caught her in a moment of quiet contemplation. She was a comfortable weight on his middle, still and unmoving as she observed his reactions.

A part of Kakashi knew that it would feel so much better if she were to shift her position forward, and settle her soft weight just a little bit closer.

Her fingers ran through his silvery hair now… phantom touches. Kakashi leaned in and accepted her kisses with a lazy slide and brush of his lips, then instantly pressed in harder, wanting something more corporeal. Something full and bodily that left no doubt in his mind that what he was feeling was real.

Then very slowly, he became aware of the tug about his waist as Sakura's hands drifted down to undo the towel. There was a pause as she pulled the edges away slowly as if unwrapping a gift. Her eyes were far off and hazy. An artist, caught up in her work.

Kakashi's mouth went dry, as Sakura regarded his erect member. Green eyes glazed over, then with a hesitant motion stroked a hand down to touch. She had gentle and intelligent hands. The type of hands that were skilled enough to perform technically advanced procedures, yet roughened from years of physical labor and training.

Unguarded, Kakashi's mouth fell open. He dug his fingers into the cushions of the couch, closing his eyes and arching his hips forward as Sakura continued the ministrations in slow, pleasurable strokes, rubbing her hand up and down. There was no more hesitation. No time to catch his breath. Each successive movement became more certain and bold, sending a warm cascade through his lower frame that flushed up his body and faded away to heat.

The brief pause in the motions was the only warning before the next sensation, completely overwhelming in its intensity.

Sakura scooted off his lap then slowly lowered her head to put her mouth on him. Taking more than he could give. Destroying him with hot little swirls of her tongue. Licking, swiping along the underside of his cock, and then sucking and working her way back up again. This time a low groan ripped away from his throat as he tensed up and bucked his hips forward. How could she be so good? Kakashi could barely breathe, barely move, barely understand the sensations burning through him. He only knew that he had a raging hard-on, and Sakura's mouth was so soft, and wet. One warm swipe of her tongue following another, like a heated strokes of fire moved up and down in the most intense pleasure.

It was impossible to think when everything felt so good. Impossible to stop. The fact that he was once her sensei, or that Sakura had trusted him in everything her entire life… or thoughts that he was taking advantage of her… or the fact that he was older, scarred and battle worn, whereas she was so young, fresh, and new…all fell away. His brain had short-circuited under this worst kind of torture. Sakura went soft and slow, then quick whenever she pleased. She leisured in her actions. It was as if _she_ was the one taking away pleasure from the experience. He could not think. The synapses of his brain attempted to make the leap, but he could not think.

Kakashi only wanted to grab her pink hair and force her to take him in as deep as possible, just to feel that delicious rush that shot through his body whenever Sakura lowered her lips. But he didn't. Instead he continued to grip his hands into the cushions, knuckles white, eyes closed and head tilted back, as each sensation tore him away. Each brush, each slide of Sakura's wet pliant muscle, sent him soaring a little higher. His harsh breathing turned to ragged little pants.

Sakura let out a quiet moan, which Kakashi felt vibrate all the way up his cock. It was too much. Kakashi reached out and for the back of Sakura's head in surprise. Her wonderful little mouth was complete softness, warmth and heat. Every muscle of his body tightened.

Kakashi thought he would lose his mind in pleasure.

Then it happened so sudden. So suddenly. The bright light filled his vision, slamming into his body hard, and his knuckles went white around Sakura's hair as he rode out the intense wave of pleasure. Fire whipped clean through him, sizzling down to his fingers and toes, consuming his body whole. There was a loud roar that filled his ears, and in the back of his mind he was aware of Sakura's choked back noise of surprise as he came.

Kakashi knew he should have warned her… should have stopped or pulled back, but it was impossible to stop the spasmic jerking of his hips as he went careening through a high. Then his body tensed up for one more tremulous shiver, and he dropped his grip about Sakura's head. Sakura pulled back instantly, gasping in a breath. Sounds of coughing and sputters filled the air.

Sakura swallowed a few times, then wiped a hand across her mouth. The moment she was able to reorient herself, she fixed Kakashi with a fierce glare. Her gaze was steady.

Kakashi fell back to the couch with a low groan. It felt as if all of his power had been sapped away, and now his limbs could no longer hold up his weight. Faint eddies of pleasure swirled and sparked out through his body. He felt drained as he basked in the glow of orgasm. An orgasm more moving and intense than he had ever known in his life.

"That…" Sakura trailed off, not knowing what to say. She was torn between the two feelings of genuine surprise, and unabashed anger that Kakashi would grab the back of her head to force her down, then come into her mouth without any warning. Yet, there was another part of her that was feeling far, far too proud at being able to pleasure Kakashi so completely. The giddy feeling made a confusing mix with the irritation burning through her body.

Kakashi was stretched out on the cushions now like a cat. His silver hair fell forward over the clean lines of his face. As Sakura watched him a strange thought crossed her mind. She slowly approached the jounin, expression clearing away from the stormy look of anger, then blithely straddled his middle as she reclaimed her spot from before. His oversensitive stomach muscles twitched beneath her hands. The scent of his musk drifted up to her nose. She could still taste a hint of saltiness on her tongue.

"Kakashi."

"Mm?"

"You've…" she began. "You've never…"

He kept his eyes closed, voice slow and groggy. "Never what?"

"You've never had contact like this before," Sakura said bluntly. Perhaps it was a question. Perhaps it was a rebuke for not treating her with slightly more consideration. "You've never talked about past lovers before."

Then he stirred. There was a long pause as Kakashi regarded her through a half-lidded gaze. Those mismatched black and red eyes held her attention so completely. She had the distinct feeling that he was testing her somehow, holding back the answer, and forcing her to explain the subject in order to see how well she understood the matter at hand. It was a tactic he often used before when he was the sensei of Team Seven. For the most part Sakura had been correct in her guesses, though there were also a few times she had been very wrong. Despite the doubt she felt nagging at the back of her mind, she continued.

"You're either very secretive about them, or have none to talk about," Sakura concluded. She braced her hands on his chest and lowered her head, until his silver hair brush against her face.

The older man released a slow sigh. "Mm."

"I wish you would have told me sooner," she said. "I could have made things more interesting."

Kakashi stroked his hands down Sakura's thighs, then slowly caressed down her back. His voice was like gravel. "It's not the easiest thing to admit," he said finally. "I don't usually take women to bed like this."

There was a moment of shock, then Sakura could nearly feel her heart burst. "So then, are you saying you're a—"

Kakashi broke off her words before she could even finish, pulling her in for another kiss. Long and heated, and that almost made Sakura forget what she was about to say.

"Shall we start over then?" Kakashi asked. "I hope you're not mistaking inexperience with complete ignorance. I happen to be very adept at this subject, you know. A treasure-trove of knowledge."

"Whatever you say, sensei."

"It's true. I've just been a very selective lover. It's not that I hate sex or anything."

In fact, it was quite the opposite.

"Do you really think your years of reading Icha Icha can out-trump my experience?" Sakura asked. True, perhaps having the impassive Sasuke as a partner for a majority of her love-life didn't pass off much of a varied experience, but Sakura still felt confident enough in this arena. She slowly backed down and pressed against Kakashi, rolling her hips forward in a delicious grind. She was hot and wet, and still worked up from Kakashi's endless, teasing kisses. That, and the sight of the jounin giving himself away to abandon was enough to get any girl riled up. She wanted to find a way to force the same reaction out of him all over again.

"Sakura, I could have you coming in less than five minutes, easily, or tease you… and push you until you'll be begging for release. You'll come so hard that even the neighbors down the street will hear you screaming my name."

She weighed the validity of his offer.

"You seem to doubt me," Kakashi said. The rough pads of his fingers were tracing up her sides in the most distracting way. He dragged the zipper of her red vest down so it fell away in half. The pert breasts hidden from the material now lay open before his gaze.

"No one's first time is perfect," she said in a shaky voice. She couldn't help the way her voice trembled.

"I'm not claiming to be perfect. Just capable of giving you _really_, _intense,_ _pleasure_." He began placing kisses along Sakura's neck and collarbone.

Sakura tilted her head to give him better access, indulging in every heated brush of his lips.

"Prove it_._"She said, closing her eyes.

"I will."

Quite suddenly, Sakura felt his teeth graze along her neck. A warm hand curved around her breast, then a rough thumb gently flicked across a rosy nipple – lightly first, then again with more pressure, brushing the thumb across. Her breasts tightened sweetly in response and sudden rush of tingles flooded through her system. Sakura let out a soft sigh as Kakashi's mouth latched on to the other breast with undivided attention.

His warm tongue and teeth simultaneously soothed and scraped across the hardened peak. The heat and pressure was enough to send a bolt of pleasure through her body, one that was even more intense than the one before. Subtle heat simmered to the surface of her skin. It was as if her nerve endings were on fire. Everything felt so good, and Sakura slowly became more delirious, and hungry with the mad desire for _more_. A familiar need lanced through her stomach as Kakashi continued to lathe his tongue around, then lightly dragged his teeth along another gentle rake. His hands anchored down her hips.

Sakura moaned then instinctively ground down, but it was not enough to satisfy the growing need she felt, if anything it only made matters worse. Kakashi pulled his mouth away, then methodically turned his attention to other parts of her body, with astounding and meticulous thoroughness. Brushing kisses along her ribcage as Sakura continued to resist against his hands, attempting to shift forward to ground, but he held her steady. He took his time, exploring every inch of her skin, skimming over ribs, sending a hot tongue into the dip of her bellybutton, then running over the two scars above.

Sakura's fingers gripped into Kakashi's silvery hair, having nothing else to grasp. She was floating away; a ship without anchor. It was dizzying, and slow, and deliciously maddening. The jounin gently pried her fingers from their grasp so that he could lift his head and place his mouth firmly over hers. Hot kisses brushed over Sakura's lips, so full and complete that they made her dizzy with pleasure with each wonderful slide. He approached her with efficiency, soft yet controlling. Soon, his tongue was in her mouth, and Sakura found her fingers gripping into his hair all over again, and found that soft moans left her lips in between each soft sigh.

His hands slowly trailed up and down her breasts, sides, and hips, as if memorizing her every dip and curve. Kakashi dropped his head to the side to suck gently at the sensitive spot beneath Sakura's ear. Sakura felt each pulse beat harder, louder, stronger in response—she thought perhaps she would forget how to breathe.

Then his hand slid beneath her skirt, and brushed between her legs. Skin against skin.

A shudder shook through Sakura in an uncontrollable tremor. She let out a groan and bucked against this sudden touch. A sharp jolt ricocheted through her body. Desire, hot and slow, ripped her into small little pieces, as pleasure cut through her again and again. Kakashi didn't have to move, simply hold his hand steady as the sudden shock from the contact sent Sakura's senses into overdrive. Sakura could only close her eyes, absorbing the way her wet and soft inner folds felt pressed against his roughened hand. Then heaven help her, Kakashi began to move—stroking his hand upwards, then methodically pressing and massaging her clit in tight circles.

Her mouth dropped in small oh's of astonishment.

Kakashi enjoyed the sight, and slowed the movement of his hands to prolong the pleasure, then sliding his fingers along her outer lips. He was getting hard all over again from watching Sakura move and shudder, and toss her head back… as if each pleasure she felt was his own.

Kakashi did not stop until her moistness completely soaked his fingers. The stickiness felt warm against his hand and he was tempted to slide his fingers into her opening, just to feel her hot inner muscles clench about him in a warm embrace—and he did. Pushing into that instant heat, he felt as she readily clenched around him in response. Sweat dotted Sakura's brows. Her arms quivered and legs trembled. The look of concentration from before was back, mixed with a sort of relentless hunger. Then her mouth fell open as he slowly felt her, stroking in and out with ease.

Sakura leaned forward, attempting to curl around his hand. She gasped hard, remembering how to breathe again. Then a quiet moan rose from her throat, stilted and broken. Then another sound. Another soft moan.

For a while, Kakashi became lost in her expressions. He marveled how one small movement of his hand could send her into a violent response. She grabbed his shoulders, desperate for a balance. Her grip became iron tight once more as he slowly destroyed her with slow little strokes. Her inner muscles fluttered and contracted around his fingers. She closed her eyes, tilting her head back, pushing more insistently to meet his touch. Sensing her need, he obliged, and plunged his fingers deeper, giving her fuller contact.

It was hot, dizzying madness. Then all at once, her back snapped upright and she gave a tremulous shudder, going still.

There was a pause. When she came to, those vibrant green eyes, were lowered and hooded. There was something dusky and wild in them. A hidden mystery in those twin depths, yet pleasure filled too. Kakashi withdrew his fingers and lifted them for Sakura to see. In response, Sakura obediently parted her lips to take them in. She sucked, cleaning his fingers off. A sharp jolt shot through Kakashi's from the point of contact and up his arm. Just the feeling and sight alone was enough to melt away the last of his resolve.

Kakashi slipped his fingers away and quickly flipped Sakura down to the couch in a desperate shuffle, covering her mouth with his. He aligned their hips up easily. She was just as hot and desperate as before, and Kakashi was already maddened, drunk from the slow build up of desire. He claimed earlier that he could tease Sakura endlessly and push off climax for a long, long time, but at the rate things were going Kakashi felt as if he wouldn't last another minute. He needed her. Now. Now.

A small noise was Sakura's only indication of surprise from his sudden change in attitude, but she did nothing to stop him. If anything, she seemed to welcome the contact, just as mad to be in touch with his skin. Kakashi ground against Sakura in delicious fervor, feeling her slick heat brush up wild spark through his body. Sakura, likewise, moaned in response. Her wild musky smell drifted past his nose. Sakura's fingers dug into his shoulders, wandered and scraped across his neck and back. The contact was satisfying, yet still not enough. Then without further prelude, Kakashi rolled his hips and entered her with one deft movement.

Sakura's back arched, revealing the toned muscles along her stomach. Her pale skin was like the glowing crescent of the moon. Kakashi's head dipped forward, also radiating that silver moon glow.

They both paused, momentarily winded by such complete penetration. Sakura was all heat and slickness. Hotter than he could even imagine. Hotter than what he thought he felt earlier. Kakashi could feel the ridges of her insides even as her muscles continued to flutter around to adjust to his size. Then Kakashi pulled back slightly, eliciting a gasp from them both. Once he pushed forward her muscles instantly clamped around him again.

A low groan tumbled out of the jounin's mouth.

Sakura's arms were trembling, heat flushing her skin in the most wonderful way.

"Don't… stop…" she said. It was the most coherent thought and sentence she could string together.

In response, Kakashi slowly pulled out again, relishing in the slick heat and the way Sakura's youthful body seemed to suck him in. Kakashi pushed forward, rolling his hips in a smooth motion. Sakura surged up to meet him. A lone, broken cry left her mouth. "_Ah_—"

They fell into sync. It was like the most intimate dance, the most delicious spar, close and tight. A desperate thing urged them forward… pushing them on to a nameless end. It was the desire to meet each other again and again in that close embrace. The need was all-consuming. The pleasure—_intense_, and spiraling ever onward to that elusive goal. It felt good to be in rhythm with another person so ready, strong, flexible, and fit. There was a sprite tension in Sakura's compact body that felt amazing. Just as Kakashi thought the last second was the most pleasurable of his existence, the next second would roll around, and the feelings would spike up all over again. Sakura turned her head to the side to muffle those soft moans.

She shivered and trembled beneath him in the most wonderful ways. Kakashi lowered a kiss to her mouth, then retreated back as another intense wave of pleasure rippled through his body. He could feel his muscles tensing up, and it was a with a great deal of will-power that he forced himself to slow down.

"What are you doing?" Sakura rasped, turning her head back. Dusky eyes fluttered open.

Kakashi took a shuddering breath, biting his lip to control himself. He couldn't respond. Just slowly roll his hips in and out to prolong that intense and delirious pleasure.

"Oh, god…" she pleaded. "Please Kakashi, don't do this. I need more…"

Kakashi let out a heated sigh, letting his mouth graze along her neck. For a moment he buried his face there in her silken pink locks, letting the lush scent of her shampoo and soft skin overwhelm him. He luxuriated in the feeling of her body and her curves, and the way she pressed against him. He could sense her heartbeat reverberate against the cage of her chest.

"_Kakashi_…" There was just a little too much emotion behind that one, and Kakashi thought perhaps Sakura wasn't in the same mood to marvel at miracle of their intimacy as he was. Perhaps Sakura didn't realize just how times Kakashi imagined being in this scenario, or knew how vividly he conjured up this dream, or understand why he marveled at the surprising accuracy. It always seemed so distant. It all seemed too unreal.

Sakura's hand reached up to paw and stroke at his hair—run along the contour of his face.

Complying, Kakashi strove for a compromise. He settled her languishing body with kisses, worshiping every part to her satisfaction, before picking up the pace and allowing them both to get lost in the sensations once more. She was warm and tight, and he filled her up in the most satisfying way.

The tension rose. Their muscles tensed. Fingers ran along skin, mingling with sweat. Then all at once Sakura gave in, moans slipping out as her back arched in the most beautiful way, finally striving for that elusive end. Every part of her body trembled and spasmed as her inner muscles clenched him tight, pulling him down with rhythmic contractions. For a moment, Kakashi was certain this would be the only way he wanted to die—filled with such complete and absolute pleasure.

He surrendered too, riding out the tremors in one long, final broken rhythm. Hot fire simmered through his veins, sizzling down to his fingers and toes, and washed out with the tides of euphoria that flooded through his system. True to word, Sakura's calls were loud as she twisted up and met his hips again and again. Her voice was the sound of pure bliss. Her words shaped around his name like a pleasurable caress. It took on a tone—a tone he never heard in her voice before.

Both filled with surprise and wonderment, she repeated Kakashi's name again in an endless mantra.

* * *

Meanwhile... in a training field far away.

Naruto landed on the hard ground, crouching for a moment to take in his surroundings then stood back up. Muddy puddles splashed up with his every movement. His bright orange figure made a great contrast against the cloudy sky, and the dark grass blades that swayed wildly in the breeze. There was a unusual warmth to the air that stirred his senses and made his blood simmer for battle. His body was tense and raring to go.

"Oi...!"

At this call, Sasuke turned around. He was standing across the field, and did not look amused. His expression was just as stormy as the skies, as he regarded the last person on earth he wanted to see at the moment.

Naruto wiped a hand beneath his nose, then spat at the ground.

"I've heard you've been hitting on my girl," Naruto said, swaggering out and pointing an accusing finger.

Sasuke only made a sound of disgust. "Which one, Sakura or Hinata?"

"Hinata, of course!"

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway. You can have both of them. I don't care anymore."

This ticked Naruto off. Of course, he came here for Hinata, but just hearing his bastard friend speak about their teammate like that too was enough to set him off completely. Insulting people was one thing, as the Uchiha was prone to do this without prejudice, hurling insults at whoever crossed his path. But to speak of his girlfriend _and_ teammate like that? That's where Naruto drew the line. He cracked his knuckles and felt the Kyuubi's chakra break forth with an almighty fury.

The resulting battle destroyed the field, and the three connecting training grounds. All trees were wiped away, and the crashes from the explosive attacks could be heard from miles around. As in their past battles before - Naruto wasn't the one who got sent to the hospital.

* * *

A/N: Next time..._ The Winner_. Maybe I should have told you sooner, but this next one will be the last.


	11. The Winner

A/N: I apologize for the delay. Thank you everyone for your patience and kind support these past two years. Because of you writing this story out has been an absolute pleasure. Now please enjoy the last chapter!

* * *

**Winner Takes All**

_Chapter Eleven: The Winner_

* * *

_For this I know for certain,_

_Even past the edge of space,_

_And beyond the end of time,_

_I will love you._

* * *

**Konoha Forest – 6:00 a.m.**

A thick fog rolled into Konoha that morning.

It was not uncommon for fog to overtake the village during the rainy season. Especially during the early hours before the sun rose to warm up the sky. The wide expanse of land as well as the higher forest grounds made it natural for moisture to gather in the cooler nights then disappear as the day heated up. While it was predictable for the more ambitious ninja to rise with the sun and train in the forests and fields, it was common knowledge that those who attempted to leave their homes before dawn would not be able to see three feet past their nose. Whole buildings, trees, and lamp posts became swallowed up in the thick, rolling gray – and even some people have been known to get lost until the sun rose to light up the world, and clear away the confusing mist.

Then there always were the unfortunate few who had been assigned missions at the ungodly pre-dawn hours, and for whom suddenly having the ability to see or not became of no consequence. Every team went through this experience. Especially those teams that created too much ruckus in recent months, and were duly disciplined by the village by serving out missions other hard-working shinobi would not want. Ideally, these were for the genin teams.

Kakashi rubbed the tired muscles from the back of his neck and let out a wide yawn. It had been a long time since he stalked across knee-deep fog to some dark, unseeable section of the forest. It must have been years since he had been forced to roll out of bed so early that even the bed springs were to too tired to creak in protest. This was not for some fun espionage and break-into-the-fortress type mission either. Oh no, the series of missions for the day would be of the mundane clean-out-the-gutters and escort-people-across-the-street type. Troublesome teams were required to atone for their delinquent ways by completing a series of increasingly mundane tasks. The idea was that the genin would then become so bored of their tasks that they would break down and vow to never cause havoc again.

Never once in his ambitious years as a genin or chunin had Kakashi ever been compelled to do such thankless work. It was only during his older years as jounin-sensei that the younger, brasher, more energetic and fool-hardy version of Team Seven required him to become quite familiar with the early morning fog.

The new expanded version of Team Seven was just as loud and chaos-worthy as before, but ever since Sasuke returned as the prodigal son, and Naruto saved the village (multiple times) from destruction, the village leaders gave them more lee-way than before, and Kakashi assumed they would never be dragged back to community service work again. Surely the now more mature and refined members of the team would never need to be reprimanded for screwing up and costing the village a hefty amount in damage repair, right? But maturity was a subjective thing. And oh… how he had been wrong.

He moved about in a half-sleep daze. On a more subconscious level he was aware of the unseen dead leaves and moss that rolled beneath his feet. Each step suddenly became an act of faith as familiar ground in the daylight suddenly became very unfamiliar in the fog. It was a strange sensation watching his feet get sucked into the shimmering mist only to hit solid ground – not knowing where the ground might actually be located.

Somewhere far off an owl hooted away in the distance, while the crickets whirred softly in the morning dark. The tall shadowed trees of the forest were dark paper cut-outs with their silhouettes. Their every leaf etched out a clear, sharp mark against the pale sky above as the branches curved up in graceful boughs. The sounds of a familiar brook murmured nearby, hidden from sight by the underbrush. Directly to his right, Kakashi could pick up the sharp scent of a rabbit that occupied the area just moments before. The sound of a snapping twig alerted his senses and echoed off into the cool air. Perhaps the delinquent members of his team had already gathered at the meeting spot.

However, when Kakashi stepped into the forest clearing he found that he was alone.

"Hm," he said, taking in his quiet surroundings. There were no loud shouts of accusations for being late aimed in his direction, nor was there brooding mass of darkness tearing at his soul. In fact, there was no sign of any human being in the immediate forest area. For the first time, in a long time, Kakashi was absolutely the first person to arrive for the mission. He half-expected cheers and fan-fare to break out at this rare occurrence.

Kakashi stepped up to a tree stump and used it as a footrest. A trail of fungi crept up the side like flat half-moon steps.

Kakashi idly ran a hand through his hair, still feeling the afterglow of languor and contentment running down his spine, and through every muscle of his body. As if each muscle had recently been put through a good stretch. Memories of soft lips and quiet whispers lingered in his ear. The blood in his veins nearly simmered with satisfaction at the thought and Sakura's voice remained like a faint hum in his mind. He dwelled on these thoughts and the minutes passed by as the jounin patiently waited for the arrival of his team. Waiting… it was a novel experience.

One memory melded into another as the forest became a little brighter with the passing time. A bird broke out into a clear warble as the first hint of the sun's golden ray pierced through the dark forest canopy from above. More time passed and Kakashi idly counted the rings of the tree stump as the forest became brighter – brighter as the dark fog caught the rays of light and turned into a shimmering mist. Suddenly trees picked up their hue and texture as branches took on their brown color and the leaves waved above with green abandon. The crickets rose up to a deafening din as the birds sang their sweet fullest.

It was a cacophony of life and sound, and Kakashi was caught in the center of the vibrant festivity – forced to stand still and wait. Somewhere nearby a frog splashed into a stream.

Then finally after what seemed like a small eternity, Kakashi felt the approach from a member of his team. The most feminine member, to be precise.

Sakura stepped into the forest clearing. The sunrays dazzled in the pink shimmers of her hair. It might have been a beautiful and ethereal moment if it weren't for the decidedly messy and sleep-worn look about her clothes and face. A person could not have rolled out of bed with more wrinkled clothes if they tried. They briefly made eye-contact, and there was a subtle shift in the air. Both of their looks seemed to have said the same thing… that yes, here they were. Alone. Again.

Sakura rubbed a sleepy eye then opened her mouth in a wide yawn, taking her time to stretch her arms high above her head before politely walking up to Kakashi with her hands clasped behind her back. She tilted her head in question towards him. "Where are the others?"

Now there was the question for the century.

Kakashi glanced at their surroundings, taking a quick sweep of the forest. There were only two chakra signatures he could sense within a mile. His and Sakura's. Even if the others were on their way he should have been able to pick up a hint of their presence.

"I don't know," he admitted. To be honest, he was about to ask Sakura the exact same thing.

Sakura became a little more alert at that. "You mean you don't know where the other half of the team is located?"

The way she said it made it seem like Kakashi made a habit of losing members of his team in strange places – much like lost toys. Never to be heard from again. He wasn't that irresponsible. Though while Kakashi racked his brain for answers as to where the other members of the team might have been located on this particular day, all he could bring up where memories of the time he spent with Sakura over the past week. This entire situation was a problem he never encountered before. The team always arrived first and waited for him in the past. For them to not be here… well, it was a little more than disconcerting.

Sakura leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper. "We _are_ in the meeting spot, right?"

"There's only one meeting spot," he emphasized.

"Not for all missions," Sakura said with a frown.

"For these types of missions we do." Kakashi stopped counting the rings on the surface of the tree-stump (getting lost around number one-hundred-forty-five), and turned his attention to Sakura, but to his surprise she was not looking at him. She was gazing up at the pale sky instead as if trying to divine an answer from the blush-pink clouds. Kakashi also glanced up, wondering what sort of other-worldly insight Sakura might have been gaining by gazing at the sunrise.

Suddenly Sakura's eyes went wide. "Wait a minute," she said. "I think I remember Naruto mentioning he needed to be somewhere today."

"Where?"

"He just said it was something important."

Probably to hassle Tsunade into letting him sit in the Hokage's chair again. Naruto made this trip a bi-weekly event. Most likely to remind the older woman that he still very much wanted to become Hokage someday. Kakashi walked in for a mission report a couple months ago only to find Naruto spinning around on the chair in glee; while Tsunade leaned back in the opposite seat – feet propped up on the desk, and swigging back a drink. He suspected that Tsunade only tolerated these obnoxious visits from the blonde because somewhere deep down, she had a soft spot for the boy… and because ever since Naruto reached the legal age of purchasing alcohol, he would always bring her sake.

Kakashi rubbed a hand through his hair. The movement made impressive shadows against the sunbeams. "That still doesn't explain where Sasuke and Sai have gone."

Sakura agreed. It was not like the uptight Uchiha to miss a mission (any mission), and while Sai had the ability to make a majority of the team feel incredibly awkward at times, he had become something akin to the adoptive team member they didn't want to leave behind.

Sakura lightly touched Kakashi on the arm to get his attention. "These are supposed to be D-rank leveled missions, right?"

They shared another glance in which a long pause followed.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile, despite himself. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked.

"That we should knock out these missions then grab lunch later? Yes." Sakura said, rubbing her stomach with hunger. "I could really go for some dango and tea. This time you pay."

Kakashi studiously ignored that last comment. It was actually Sakura's turn to pay this time, but he thought it wise not to bring up the subject. "Maybe we'll even run into the others, hm?"

As it turned out… Kakashi and Sakura would not run into the other members of their team today, but it certainly was a nice thought.

* * *

**Hyuuga Household – 10:00 a.m. **

Naruto wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve, then resolutely placed his hands on his knees in a sitting position that he thought must have been formal. To his left, Hinata poured three cups of steaming tea at the low table, only looking up to offer a kind and encouraging smile. Directly across the table sat a man with great bulk and a heavy presence – with something akin to pain on his usually stern and unreadable face. To Naruto's understanding, this was Hinata's father, Hyuuga Hiashi, and head of the Hyuuga clan.

The Hyuuga household was full of many fine things Naruto had never seen before. Even if the Hyuugas were minimalists in the way they dressed and decorated, there was no denying the fine quality they incorporated into every aspect of their lives. Hinata had to bashfully usher Naruto into the estate when he refused to wipe his feet on the doormat in fear that he would ruin the pristine rug with his muddy shoes.

Now they sat in a quiet room next to the garden. The embroidered seat cushion beneath his knees and the lacquered tea table were just other indications to Naruto that he was way out of his element. Which made him uncomfortable, and whenever Naruto was uncomfortable he had a tendency to lose judgment over what things were appropriate to say.

"Wow. You really screwed up in trying to get Hinata to marry Sasuke, didn't you?" Naruto blurted out.

Both Hinata and her father winced at that statement, but the moment of awkward discomfort smoothly disappeared in the next beat of silence. Somewhere in the distance, Naruto heard the _thock _of the bamboo fountain from outside. As he looked ahead, he had the eerie sensation that the older Hyuuga's eyes could see straight through him. They were white, pearly and blank. Just like Hinata's except not nearly as gentle or pretty.

Hinata's father cleared his throat. "I should have given more thought to the matter," he acknowledged.

"… and should have asked my opinion," Hinata whispered, as she put the tea down and took a seat next to Naruto. She managed to sit down much more gracefully than the way Naruto almost fell into the table the first time around.

"Yes," Hinata's father said. "It's a mistake that most definitely won't happen again."

Naruto only gave them both a wide, oblivious grin. As was his usual habit when he had nothing else to add.

Hiashi took a long sip of tea then cleared his throat a second time. A small tendril of steam from the cup like a silver wisp. "Excuse me…" Hiashi said, eyeing the boy with the bright orange jumpsuit – the lively color popped out from the muted grey of the walls. "But who are you again…?"

"Naruto," Hinata supplied quickly. "Remember, father? He's the one who beat Neji in the chuunin exams all those years ago. He also happens to be the container of the Nine-Tailed demon fox for the village, trained under the great Jiraiya-sama and Kakashi-sensei, and has saved Konoha from countless catastrophes."

"Oh, right." Hinata's father said, as if his extremely selective memory for the moment had suddenly been jogged up. "You're that guy."

"That's right!" Naruto exclaimed, sensing that now would be the perfect time to give his introduction. He stood up with a clatter. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto," he said, jabbing a thumb to his chest, "and someday I'm going to be the next Hokage."

After this declaration a silence fell, as the clan leader gave Naruto a severe look over. "I don't mean to be rude," Hinata's father said, quirking an eyebrow. "But how did you get into this estate?"

Through Hinata's urging, Naruto sat back down again and held a tea cup up to his face in a polite fashion. "Neji let him inside," Hinata answered, in her quiet voice. Which was true. Neji was the first to see Naruto arrive earlier that morning and opened the gate for him.

"And… what are you doing here?" Hiashi asked, giving the young man a scowl. Though deep down, he already sensed the most probable reason why.

"I'm here to ask for Hinata's hand in marriage." At this Naruto gave another broad grin and rubbed the back of his neck in an embarrassment, while Hinata offered a gentle smile.

Hiashi let out a sigh. It was just as he expected. "You've probably already heard this by now, but our last attempt to marry Hinata off did not go so well."

"That's only because the groom was a horrible jerk, and you tried to marry Hinata off to someone she didn't like."

Hinata nodded in agreement, holding on to Naruto's arm. "I happen to like this boy, father."

Hinata's father pinched the bridge of his nose, then let out another deep sigh. He could already sense where this was going.

"So… Naruto," Hinata's father began again, through a painful smile he tried his best to be polite. "What are your prospects?"

This question threw Naruto for a loop. "Prospects?"

"What sort of potential do you have?" Hinata supplied, in a gentle voice.

Naruto began fidgeting with the bottom hem of his shirt. "Oh! Well. I plan to become the Hokage someday," he repeated.

"That's a very ambitious goal," Hiashi said.

"Yeah," Naruto said, jabbing a thumb to his chest. "And I'm just the man to do it. I don't know if Hinata mentioned this before, but I happened to have single-handedly stopped the Akatsuki a few years back – a group of super strong mutant ninjas who terrorized the known shinobi-world."

"Hm." Hiashi said, taking another sip of tea.

"I've also learned the secret sage art of drawing chakra from outside natural sources, and using it to make really big wind-shurikens," Naruto said, spacing out his hands to indicate the size of the shurikens. "I call them Rasengon-shurikens."

"Ra…sen…gon - shurikens?" Hiashi asked.

"It's a master-level technique I managed to perfect by imbuing my wind element chakra into chakra-form manipulation when I was fifteen years old," Naruto explained. "Also…! I can summon frogs."

At that moment Naruto slapped his hand on the table. The tea cups clattered from the impact of his palm and a cloud of smoke poofed from his hand. A small red frog appeared by the sugar bowl, looking around the room with wide yellow eyes. He jumped near the silver tea spoons and ribbited a throaty bellow.

Hinata politely clapped at this small display, while Hiashi merely shooed the frog off the table until it scampered away. "Okay, so I'll admit… you have some potential when it comes to strength, but what about your bloodline? Do you come from a family with a respectable background?"

Hinata laid a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Naruto was orphaned when he was just a baby," she said sadly. She pulled out a handkerchief to dab her watery eyes.

"Yes, but actually…" Naruto said, perking up. "I've discovered that my father was the Fourth Hokage."

"Really?" Hinata said, putting the handkerchief away. "I never knew that."

"I didn't know that until recently, either," Naruto admitted.

"Impressive," was all Hinata's father muttered. "Now that I think of it, you do sort of look like him. It's all that spiky yellow hair you have," he said, motioning to Naruto's head.

Naruto just grinned a wide fox-grin. Pleased that someone would think that he held any resemblance at all to the former Hokage. Even if it actually was true. Beside him, Hinata simply smiled as she smoothed down her robe. There was also a pleased look on her face that Hinata's father could find no explanation for.

"Well, young man," Hinata's father pressed with a stern air. "What motto do you follow in everyday life? What sort of beliefs do you have?"

"I just hope to unite the nations in peace someday, prevent any future world wars, and stamp out all signs of evil and oppression," Naruto said modestly.

"He also has undying devotion for his friends," Hinata quipped.

"Oh, I see." Hiashi said. "I also would have accepted 'devotion to family' as an appropriate response."

Naruto tugged at the collar of his jumpsuit, suddenly feeling quite hot. Hinata held on to his arm to offer support.

"Naruto, I have one last question for you," Hiashi said finally. "And it's the most important question of all."

A long silence passed as Hiashi leaned down on the tea table. A heavy and tense air descended on the room as he fixed the boy with a serious glare. "Do you think you have what it takes to make my daughter happy?"

At this Naruto was most impassioned. Bright blue eyes snapped open, and a heat and determination radiated off his body that seemed as abundant as his enthusiastic energy.

"Sir, if you let me date your daughter I would make her the happiest woman in the world, and it would also make me the happiest man in the world," Naruto declared.

Hinata nearly swooned at this confession, but she did not faint. Instead she took one of Naruto's hands in a gentle grip. "It would make us both very happy, father." Hinata agreed.

At this, very small smile appeared on the corner of Hiashi's lips. As he reached for his tea and regarded the two over his cup, he wondered if Naruto would be willing to stay around long enough keep his daughter happy for a lifetime. Hiashi also began to ponder if he would be able to keep up with energetic grandchildren who ran around the estate with loud voices. While he drank down his cup with an air of supreme calm, he found himself becoming quite fond of the idea.

* * *

**The Dango Stand – 12:00 p.m.**

"Sweets for the sweet?" Kakashi asked, holding out two dango sticks.

Sakura accepted one, slumping into the outdoor chair with a heavy sigh. "Ughh. I never want to search for another cat, weed out another garden, or paint another fence again."

"Speaking of which, you have a tiny bit of paint on your face," Kakashi said. He flicked a strand of Sakura's hair out of the way then lightly motioned to the smudge by her nose. "I would have mentioned it earlier but I didn't want to embarrass you."

"You think I would be embarrassed from walking around all day with paint on my face?" Sakura scoffed.

Despite her words, Sakura snatched up a napkin and rubbed the paint away, checking her reflection in the metal surface of the dispenser. All the while, Kakashi leisurely pulled out his Icha Icha book and flipped through the more favorable passages. His dango lay forgotten on the table.

Having finished cleaning off her face… and cleaning off her dango, Sakura was quick to pick up on Kakashi's abandoned portion. She sidled next to him and smoothly reached for what was left. Quite frankly, Kakashi didn't care if Sakura grabbed the treat or not. He never cared for sweets, and in fact, only bought two knowing that Sakura would want another one later. But he thought her close proximity was nice, and whether or not he purposely left the second dango near his side in an attempt to lure her closer was something he would never admit.

Sakura gradually became very pensive between her second and third bite of food. Her brows furrowed down from deep thought.

She nudged Kakashi with her elbow. "Hey, don't you think it's strange that even though we've been out all day, we haven't seen any sign of the rest of Team Seven?"

"Hm. Yeah, that's a bit strange."

"I mean," Sakura said, waving the stick around. "You would think we would see some hint of them."

Kakashi flipped to another passage of his book. "They must have found something better to do with their time," he mused.

Then quite suddenly, a pleasant jolt shot through Kakashi's body. Sakura's hand was on his knee.

"Kakashi, look!" His eyes followed Sakura's arm as she pointed to the merchant stands across the street. There was a greater number of vendors than usual setting up their wares. From a quick glance, Kakashi took in the bright clothing and fans on sell. Several of the woman were studiously making small pastries to be fried, which when heated up would make moon cakes. Then hidden in the crates to the side he was almost certain there were fireworks. A great stack of them.

Kakashi lowered his book in surprise.

"Can you believe it?" Sakura said. "It's almost time for the Moon Viewing festival again. I'll be needing a new robe… I accidentally ripped my last one." She tugged at Kakashi's sleeve. "You could probably use a new robe, too."

Actually, Kakashi did not have any festival robes. It was the jounin's tradition to never to dress up for celebrations, but he did like the idea of Sakura wearing some pretty new outfit immensely. Just the memory of last year's festival with her dazzling smile nearly left him weak as his heart did summersaults.

"I guess it couldn't hurt to look," Kakashi agreed, and closed his book with a snap.

* * *

**Yamanaka Flower Shop – 3:00 p.m.**

The hours ticked by slowly in the flower shop, and each minute passed with the vigor of slow molasses. Ino watched with a gloomy face as the vendors set up their stands outside the shop window. Laughing jounin and chuunin cleared out the streets as groups of shinobi and civilians alike worked to place up lanterns and streamers over every building. There was a feeling of excitement in the air that was nearly as tangible as the children running around and playing along the roads. Ino remembered the days when she and Sakura would frolic through the marketplace during festival preparations and admire all the new things with anticipation.

Inoichi promised his daughter that she would be able to enjoy the night off after he settled some flower orders for the village. Every year the Moon Viewing Festival became the greatest source of revenue for the family business. The village always ordered a huge batch in an effort to decorate the streets and keep the feeling of festivity alive.

Unfortunately, this year the main man who had the power to help the flower shop by making an inordinate amount of flowers bloom was missing in action. The Yamanakas had not seen or heard from Captain Yamato ever since that last time he helped in the flower shop all those weeks ago. As Ino recalled, that was also the last time Sakura bothered to show her face around, too.

Ino frowned and fiddled restlessly with the pen in her hand. There would still be plenty of batches to keep the village looking alive and fresh, there just wouldn't be nearly enough close to the number of previous years. Ino considered the repercussions of selling less and making a smaller revenue, and decided that she did not like the projected consequences. Because it meant instead of buying three new pairs of shoes next month, she could only buy two. And _that_ would certainly would have been a grave thing indeed.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door chime. The sweet smell of roasting chestnuts from outside wafted in with a draft before the door swung shut again. Ino heard the slow measured steps of the customer before she could see him around the tall vase of tiger lilies blocking the view.

Oh, it was Sai. The pale gloomy boy she had often seen hanging around Sakura's team at times. Ino had nothing especially against him, but only knew that he had one day crawled out of the dark shadows of Anbu to join the ranks of lesser mortals in the light – and that he had a strange thing for cut-off shirts that showed his stomach.

"Can I help you?" Ino asked, resting her chin in her hand. She regarded the boy with bored eyes, and waited impatiently as he scanned every nook and cranny of the shop before turning his attention back to the most important aspect of the room - _her_.

There was something very intriguing about the way his dark eyes took her in. Where Ino's eyes were pale and clear, she felt as if his eyes were of the darkest hues. Like gazing into them held the same feeling of falling into an abyss.

"I need something that will impress a girl," Sai confessed.

"Oh ho ho," Ino suddenly lit up with a charming smile, and hid her devious chuckle behind one hand. If there was one thing she understood it was how to dabble with other people's business. "So there's a girl you fancy, hm? Tell me what she's like."

Ino leaned forward with a ready ear. She only said the last part so she could figure out _who _the girl was, but it also only took less than a minute later before she felt like taking it all back, swallowing it down, and then spitting out words righteous indignation and hot jealousy.

"She has pink hair, green eyes, and gets mad really easily," Sai explained.

He was no more than five words into the explanation before Ino pounded down on the counter with a fury. "It's Sakura, isn't it? Why is it that Sakura always gets the guys?" she demanded.

Sai stood very still, uncertain if the question was directed towards him or not. The words "bitchy" and "hag" flew to his mind as part of the answer, but he decided that if he were to voice these things he would probably end up being thrown through the window behind him… if his experiences with Sakura were any indication. There was also something about the way Ino lashed her blonde hair around like an angry horse ready to charge that made him hesitate before speaking.

"I mean… _seriously_." Ino ground out as she suddenly scribbled on something very hard on the paper before her on the counter. "Why is it that every guy is throwing himself at that ungrateful nose-drip while I'm never given a second glance?"

The pen in her grip suddenly snapped and ink flew all over the counter. At this Ino whirled around her seat in anger, and Sai took a half step back.

"I saw her walking outside earlier today. Sure, she was laughing and having a great time with her sensei, and you know what? I'm the one who gave Kakashi-sensei the advice to give her those orchids in the first place. And look at them now! Happy as can be." Ino fumed.

For Sai, every word that tumbled out of Ino's mouth was like the buzz of an angry hornet's nest: loud and confusing. He mentally recalled advice from the book of Social Interactions and ran through the options in his head: Agree with her? Comfort her? Offer advice? Or maybe… run away?

Then also tumbling around with the confusion was the news about Sakura and Kakashi. It would appear that he had been out-relationshiped by the master of relationship advice. Sai would admit that he never would have seen that development coming even if it smacked him across the face. There was no logical build up or connection to the relationship at all, which only led him to one conclusion on the matter… human beings were strange, strange creatures.

Meanwhile, as Sai pondered the sudden ousting as he role as suitor, Ino was picking up fine momentum in her tirade – huffing about as she tossed her hair back. "Do you even know what orchids mean in the language of flowers? It means… refined beauty. I was inadvertently giving Sakura a compliment by telling Kakashi-sensei which flower to buy for her. That was obvious! She should have gotten the hint, right? And does she even bother to drop in and say hello, or give a word of thanks to her hardworking friend? No. She does not."

Ino had her arms crossed and was tapping away with her foot in a fine temper now.

"I mean look at me!" Ino said gesturing to her body. "Do I look like someone who can be pushed aside? No. I'm an absolute bombshell. A blonde bombshell! There should be no reason why other guys – and my best friend – should ignore me."

Ino let out a heated sigh then chewed her lip, feeling that if she didn't calm down she would soon be down the road to self-combustion.

Sai took a seat in the green vinyl chair across from the counter, observing the passionate emotional response from the girl before him. It was to say the least, fascinating, to watch her build up and unravel so quickly. Even more impressive, she managed to make all her points in such quick succession. Sai wasn't sure how some people ever managed to unleash such a tidal wave of words like that when there were days he struggled to say even one thing at all.

"Sometimes what people do confuses me too," Sai admitted.

"Ha!" A short laugh was Ino's only response. She continued to tap her foot furiously away against the ground.

Sai let his fingers trail along the countertop. The spilled ink responded to his presence by shifting towards his hands. It was an unconscious act.

"There are days I wish someone would give me orders on how to act and behave," Sai said. "This whole business about impressing girls is extremely confusing."

"Believe me," Ino said, "if every guy would just listen to me about what girls wanted, the world would be much better place to live in."

Sai wasn't about to argue her point. Quite frankly, he didn't have much of a stance when it came viewpoints about the world. He was like a blank sheet of paper. Easy to mark, but also just as easy to crumple up and cast away. Though it seemed these days he was getting a better grasp on how society functioned… if not just very slowly and with great effort.

"Well," Ino said with a sigh, "do you still want to buy that flower?"

Sai moved his steady gaze from the crisp folded lines of origami cranes hanging over the countertop and back to Ino's face. His eyes were dark, and there was something almost charming about the way his lips moved up into a ghostly smile. He was taking in her every detail.

He leaned over the countertop.

"Has anyone ever told you how the shape of your eyes matches up with the curves of your face?" Sai asked. He would continue to describe every curve, and line, and shading, and color to Ino in great detail, and flatter Ino by telling her the way he would sketch her face until she melted under his words and told him _exactly_ what to do next. Which would be asking her out to the Moon Viewing Festival later that night.

She would also tell him the exact place and time to meet (by the fountain, at 8:00 p.m.), which flowers to bring her (white roses), and exactly what to wear (a simple black robe)… and it would be the beginning of a wonderful, uncomplicated relationship.

* * *

**Marketplace – 5:00 p.m.**

"I don't know," Kakashi said. "I haven't worn robes in such a long time."

He stretched out his arm as he examined the stitching. In truth the formal robes were a good fit, and made him look something close to divinity. Sakura was not used to seeing her former sensei in anything other than his uniform, and she had _never _seen him so dressed up. She thought that with clothing like this, he could pass off as something far more glamorous and fashionable than a ninja.

"The dark blue looks good on you, sensei," Sakura said. She reached up to stroke the material on his arm. With his silver hair, he might have been mistaken for someone from a mythical fantasy. He could have been the hero from a tale of harrowing romance, heart-break, and adventure.

But if there was one thing she knew about Kakashi, it was that he never welcomed unwanted drama or adventure. Even if he had traveled across many lands, and possessed the ability to kill a man forty different ways with a single glance. To Sakura he always was… and always would be quite simply… Kakashi-sensei.

"What are you laughing at?" Kakashi asked. His face echoed Sakura's expression of amusement. He untied the belt to slip off the robes.

"Nothing," Sakura said honestly.

Kakashi had no response to that. He paid the shopkeeper from the cash in his wallet. The older woman bowed in acknowledgement and waved them farewell.

"You realize that I'm breaking tradition for you, right?" Kakashi said, after a long stretch of silence. They walked slowly, keeping pace down the road. "I usually don't dress up for these events."

Sakura kicked a rock on the ground. It bounced over to the curb.

"Then what made you change your mind this time?" she asked.

Kakashi directed his gaze to the sky. "I must be a kind-hearted man who enjoys the pleasure of giving his money away to poor vagabonds," he said, with a long-suffering sigh.

Sakura looped a hand through his arm. "You know what I think it is, sensei?"

"Hm?"

"I think you like spending time with me," she said bluntly.

"Hm." Kakashi said then gently pushed her away. Sakura smiled and readjusted the red robes in her hands.

As they walked along the street side-by-side, Sakura had to temper the giddy feeling in her chest. She wondered if Kakashi's heart ever skipped the way her heart was racing now. She tried to imagine life from his perspective—as an elite ninja and jounin-sensei. Major life-altering events in Sakura's eyes might have contrarily been small blips on his radar. Did he remember the same events the same way Sakura remembered them? She tried to imagine the world from his view, from a taller standpoint, walking next to a younger student along the road, having made lustful remarks and touches to that student, and how hyper-aware she would have been of every eye—from every single passerby, whether well-intentioned or not—that might have slid over their passing forms.

Kakashi glanced back, and Sakura realized her steps had slowed down. Though disheartening thoughts crept into her consciousness, she also remained firmly awash in the sweet intoxication of being so close to Kakashi's proximity and breathing in his warm, comforting scent. Was it strange that standing next to her former sensei never affected her this way before?

"If you keep looking at me like that, I'll have no choice but to drag you away to the back room of the nearest store, or some dark alley," Kakashi said.

"I saw some convenient looking trees back there," Sakura replied, rising to his dare. She was only half-joking. Though if Kakashi were to really whisk her away, shove her against a tree and commence to have his way with her—Sakura would probably give away with easy compliance, dig her fingers into his shirt, and give those soft encouraging moans that sent him into feverish abandonment. Like a parched man getting a drink, after being denied water for so long.

For a long time Kakashi paused as if he were considering the offer. Then abruptly shook his head and moved forward again, dragging Sakura along with a single-minded determination.

"Tempting, but that would probably traumatize the children."

"How thoughtful of you," Sakura deadpanned.

Kakashi lowered his head and said in a murmur, "I think we gave the waitress yesterday enough of a fright."

Sakura could not fight off the hot flush burning her face at that. When that waitress discovered them in the bathroom Sakura was far from amused – and was more of a mess of flustered embarrassment. Though deep down, Sakura enjoyed how Kakashi was willing to explore the relationship and push it to more intrepid places. She also liked to believe that even with each new memory they forged, they acknowledged every moment from the past that cemented their lives together.

* * *

**The Hospital (Inpatient Ward) – 8:00 p.m. **

The first indication to Yamato that he was still alive was the feeling of linen against his face. The sound of the rushing waterfall was gone, and replaced by the roaring of blood in his ears. The room was dark – his vision was dark, and his arms and legs were heavy. Strangely though… he was not in pain. In fact, he could have been floating away on clouds. His spirit drifted high above as his mind spun around with dizzying lurches.

A loud beep went off to his right side, then there was the sound of a machine turning over. There was an twinge on his nose, but Yamato realized he could not move. Something was holding his body down as if his limbs were weighted. His eyes were dry and scratchy. When he opened them, there was only darkness. Darkness… nighttime. His mind made the connection. But his disorientation was still great, and when tried to speak his mouth was dry, dry, dry…

"Here."

A dark shadow appeared. There was a ominous feeling to the figure, but the moment Yamato felt a plastic cup pressed to his lips he did not fight it, but instead took in the water into his mouth and let the drink ease down his throat.

It was cool heaven. Quickly followed by choking death. He coughed and sputtered. Yamato attempted to wipe the water from his mouth – only to come to the revelation he could not move his hands. Again. This time the thought stuck to his mind a little longer than the first time around.

"You're in a full-body cast. So don't bother trying. " The man above him said. He had a low and quiet voice. The sort of voice that was, perhaps, unused to talking.

Very slowly the shapes came into focus. Dark blobs sharpened until the captain could make distinction between the beds and the walls. The person who helped him had now taken a seat by the window, and was gazing out on the streets below. Moonlight was the only source of illumination in the room. Yamato thought he might have heard cheering and laughter outside. He wondered what sort of festivities might have been going on, but the thoughts slid and slipped around – growing outward and drifting away. Until he could no longer remember what he was thinking.

Just how long had he been out? He reached around for the string of thoughts, gathering them one by one.

Yamato was no longer face-down in the mud on some abandoned training field. That much he could establish. But he had to wonder if being stuck in a full body-cast and bound to a – bound to a… what was the word? Bed – bed was any better.

His suite-mate shifted in his seat. He was definitely a man… but young, with shoulders that smoothed down to a lean frame. He had no shirt on. Probably due to the endless array of bruises that covered his back and chest. The man also had a good number of bandages on his body. If Yamato had to take a guess, he would say that the he had been in a rather nasty fight recently.

In his morphine-induced state he did his best to remember where he recognized that spiky black hair from before, but any thoughts he threw around slid off the walls of his mind like paper without any glue.

Then he spoke again… and that voice… everything clicked into place, like rusty gears turning on their hinge.

"Some jounins said they found you half-dead on the training grounds." The man, Sasuke, muttered. He barely turned his head over his shoulder to say this.

Yamato opened his mouth in what would have been a laugh, but his throat was far too dry. What came out instead were the words, "No surprise."

Sasuke stood up again, and brought the water to Yamato's lips, tipped the drink down with surprising skill and patience. Yamato drank as much as possible before turning his head away.

Sasuke put the cup back on the stand. A long silence passed before he asked in a quiet voice, "What were you doing on that field?"

Yamato could not imagine why the Uchiha would invest so much sudden interest in him, especially here and now of all places, or give him water, or talk to him. Perhaps it was just a natural probing curiosity. Yamato could sense a keen intelligence in the young man before him. Or perhaps, like all people who had been isolated for long periods of times, loneliness had finally gotten the better of him.

"Sparring," Yamato rasped out. "With that… damn Hatake."

The raging lunatic. Yamato could feel his heart pick up at the thought. The heart monitor beside the bed exploded into a series of beeps of lines. For many nights to come now, the thought of the lethal Copy-nin would haunt his every dream.

With a few measured breaths, Yamato regained control of his heart beat, and the beeps evened back out to a steady rhythm.

Sasuke simply observed it all in silence.

"Kakashi put you through this?" Sasuke asked. Even in his flat voice, there was no hiding the mild surprise at the revelation.

"He's head-over-heels, crazy in love with that teammate of yours." Now more than ever, Yamato wished he could move so he could rub his tired eyes.

Sasuke meditated on this for a moment. "Are you talking about Sakura?"

Well he sure as hell wasn't talking Naruto, or Sai (that poor kid would never kid a date). In his mulling over Yamato forgot to respond, instead choosing to lull his head back in a daze. The ceiling tiles spun around like the slow blades of a windmill.

Sasuke hummed in thought then slowly rolled his neck and shoulders in a stretch. The moonlight played across his smooth skin until his bruises disappeared in the shadows. Then he pulled back with a wince, feeling the sting of some unseen cut.

"What happened to you?" The captain asked, as he closed his eyes. The spinning went away.

The Uchiha took his time to check the bandages on his sides before turning his attention back to the Anbu captain.

"I had a rough run-in with Naruto," he said coolly.

Yamato would have sympathized with Sasuke if he weren't in such a miserable state himself. In his humble opinion, being in a body-cast was far worse than getting away with a few cuts and bruises. Even if they were some of the darkest, nastiest looking bruises he had ever seen in his life.

"Women…" Sasuke muttered. A dark scowl crossed his face at the word.

For a brief moment Sasuke's dark eyes flicked to Yamato before turning away. Yamato could feel the heat of his gaze, and the deep burning questions the Uchiha kept locked up inside. As Yamato blinked his vision became a little sharper and gained clarity. He thought he could get lost in the inky darkness of the man before him. The world slipped in and out, and Yamato felt as high as a kite.

"Tsunade was here today," Sasuke said in a slow, measured voice. "She was not happy. The emergency tunnels and training grounds will need repair." His fingers tightened into a grip on his pants.

Yamato mumbled that it would be no problem with his bloodline ability, but he wasn't sure if he actually said it, or if he just thought the words to himself. Nonetheless, Sasuke turned away as he took a seat at the side of the bed, gazing out into the streets. The sharp lines of his profile were meditative in the moonlight. Perhaps he already spent many nights like this. Just sitting, and thinking, and gazing out the window. A long moment passed in silence.

"Are you hungry?" Sasuke asked, at last. He turned his attention back to Yamato and slowly reached for a bowl from the bedside. "I didn't eat my food."

Yamato was not hungry, but he did not protest when the Uchiha moved over and gently pried open his mouth to ladle a spoonful of soup down his throat. It was rich, but cold. And his stomach turned with hunger with the first taste, although the morphine made every part of his body feel like a far off thing. It was like he was in his body, but not in his body, and was watching everything before him as a distant spectator.

"Thank you." Yamato said, several spoonfuls later when he found that he could take no more. He was dozing off, and it was difficult to keep his mind from slipping away. Somewhere above him Sasuke put the bowl down and left Yamato's line of sight. A moment later there was the sound of the blinds closing… then complete darkness. The rustle of sheets. The quiet sound of breathing. Yamato also chased the elusive dreamland, feeling his body sink into the clouds. It would be a long road to recovery.

* * *

**By the River – 10:00 p.m. **

The moon rose on the horizon. A silver curve so round and full, and dazzling in its splendor that the silver stardust could barely compare to its glowing light. The sky was of the richest and darkest blue. A wide inky canvas stretched across all major boundaries of vision, and covered the village in majestic night.

In the lower half of the world the village river swathed and held the dotting of small paper boats. At their heart, each folded creation held the small flickering flame of a candle and the wish of the child who set it into the water. The candles made bright illuminations on the glassy surface of the river as they bobbed away. On the shore the marketplace was alive with movement and laughter as civilians and shinobi alike took time off to enjoy the most cherished festival of the year.

The sweet smell of sizzling meat and delectable treats wafted far off into the night air. Bright streamers and lanterns decorated the rooftops, and formed the only source of light in the dark. A majority of the children who ran back and forth across the streets and by the river shore found new entertainment in the sparklers handed out by the vendors. The adults gathered and drank their alcohol. Some off-note singing could already be heard in the early hours of the night. The loudest of which came from a chesty blonde woman who was most respectfully known as the Hokage on any other given day.

On the opposite shore, celebration of the festival took on a more muted atmosphere. There were tall trees on this side of the river spaced along a grassy field. Each branch was laden with heavy flowers, and curved overhead with natural beauty. The white blossoms of the trees released a sweet and heady sent that could only be washed away by the warm breeze of the night. Among the grass, glowing fireflies flickered in and out of sight – and seemingly danced in celebration of the festivity in the air. The crickets chirped in quiet repose.

In the darkness hid a young couple. They sat on a low branch of one of the flowering trees – a thick branch so weighted down by the heft of blossoms that it swept low and nearly touch the ground. Growing out like this every year made it so the branch curved down, and created a perfect seat for this night.

They wore traditional robes – and could have been figures from a painting. The young woman was draped a red patterned robe that went well with her striking pink hair. The tall man had hair that nearly burned as silver as the moon, and wore darker robes that hung well on his elegant but well built frame. He held one arm across the woman's shoulder and held her close in a gentle embrace. There was a refined look to the clean cut lines of their faces as they gazed out at the distant moon and shore.

Sakura was filled with so much excitement and contentment she thought she could burst as the two warring emotions fought for domination within her body. She snuggled close to Kakashi, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat even as she felt the erratic pace of her heart and the sound of blood rushing through her ears. What she felt now wasn't the same nervous jitters she usually associated with the wave of energy going through her system. The only thing she could pin the feeling down to was the simple pleasure of being awake and alive, and being closest to the one person in existence she enjoyed most.

Kakashi glanced down, a small lazy grin crossing his face. He wore no mask tonight. Which was just as well since no one could see them in their quiet, hidden spot across the shore. Sakura had already acquainted herself quite well with Kakashi's maskless mouth and jaw line earlier that night – ogling at him at every given moment. Whenever Kakashi would catch her in the act he would simply pause, turn his full face towards her, and offer a handsome smile. It filled him with endless amusement to watch the blush cover Sakura's cheek each time.

Sakura felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she was caught in the act again. She had seen her sensei without his mask many times before and thought that she had long outgrown this reaction to his face. When healing an injury, or when he would casually bring down his mask to eat… it was no longer a novel experience. In fact there were moments when she felt nothing but cool regard in the past as the action became less of an event, and more of an natural action that needed to happen to fulfill some necessities in life. But now for some reason she couldn't stop the small pleasant jolt that took her by surprise whenever her eyes would happen to cross Kakashi's smile, and inevitably… that blush would start up all over again.

"Having a good time?" Kakashi asked, lips tugging upward.

"Yes," Sakura said. "I'm very happy." She reached for his hand and tightened her fingers in a warm grip. There was no other way to describe the feeling.

There was no way to describe how Kakashi's smiles made her feel as if she had taken a drink of deep heady wine, or sparkling champagne. The emotion switched between being strong and potent, then fizzling and incandescent. It was a contrasting force of nature – like fragile bubbles rising to the surface or a loud roar trapped inside. The type that could rise up and tear you down unless it was let out, or build up and bring strength and power. It was strong, relentless and there were some moments it felt so powerful Sakura thought it could bring her down to her knees and make her cry from sadness, happiness, frustration, and joy. The feeling had no name. At least not one that she could bring herself to say out loud. She only understood that the most telling part of this emotion was that it burned down clean, and left a lingering presence. Until all was made transparent.

Kakashi needed no explanation. He already knew the feeling. Then, simply because he could - he demonstrated this to her by pulling her in for a long and lasting kiss.

.-.-.

.-.-.

.-.-.

End Game


End file.
